The World as We Know It
by thequeenxofhearts
Summary: The World as We Know It is based on the Scooby Apocalypse. When Velma's brothers create a virus which turns humanity into monsters, the Scooby gang must find a way to reverse the virus, with the help of the Batfamily.
1. Chapter 1

**I have decided to rewrite The Unknown Mission, giving it a new name; The World as We Know It.**

 **I feel like I did not give myself enough time to write the chapters for The Unknown Mission, I have been thinking about it for a while and I want to rewrite it.**

 **The World as We Know It will be based on the Scooby Apocalypse comic book, but will include the Batfamily, Harley and Ivy (excluding The Joker, Riddler, Scarecrow and the Mad Hatter).**

 **Instead of posting weekly, I will be posting every two weeks, on Tuesdays, though there will be no chapter when I am away.**

 **After a few chapters of The World as We Know It, I will take down The Unknown Mission.**

 **Thank you to anyone who read The Unknown Mission and thank you to those who will be reading The World as We Know It.**

 **The Unknown Mission was the only multi-chapter fanfic that I have written and I would like The World as We Know It to be a good one. I have had fun writing up the first few chapters and I hope you enjoy reading my new fanfic.**

 ** _1_**

Harley Quinn, dressed in a white nurse's dress, walked through Arkham Asylum, trying not to draw attention to herself around the other nurses. _I hope this plan works, this has just gotta work!_

Doctor Bartholomew walked in Harley's direction, with another nurse, she walked towards them. "Oh, I'm so sorry doctor um…Bartholomew." She said as she walked into him, her hand slipped down to his waistband and she unhooked the ID card clipped to his trousers. "It's my first day, I'm sorry." She said, stepping back. "It's ok, Nurse…Rose." He replied, reading her name tag. "Enjoy the rest of your day." He said as he continued with the nurse.

Harley took a deep breath and held the ID card tightly in her hand. She made her way down to the cell corridor.

She pushes a trolley through the cell corridor, the inmates look through the glass. "You new?" Killer Croc said, watching Harley walk past. She stopped outside his cell, stared him in the eye and gave a little wink, then she continued walking.

The inmates continued to stare at the 'new' nurse, except a certain red-headed female; Poison Ivy. "Harley Quinn." She said, Harley's eyes widened, and she shook her head at her friend. "You're mistaken, my name is Rose Mi-"

"Roses are my favourites." Ivy said, cutting Harley off. Harley rolled her eyes and stepped up to the glass. "Alright," She whispered, "Keep yeh voice down, Red!" Harley snapped.

"What are you doing here, Harl?" Ivy asked. "Comin' ta get Mister J." Harley said, Ivy rolled her eyes. "You're not _still_ drooling over that dirt bag, are you?" Ivy said, disappointed.

"He's not a dirt bag an' I'm not droolin'!" Harley snapped. "Why don't you let me outta here, honey?" Ivy asked. "Red-" Harley began, a laugh echoes through the walls of the asylum. "Puddin'!" Harley gasped. "Pammy, you're not flirting with the new nurse, are you?" Joker said.

"Shut up, clown!" Ivy snapped. "I'll take that as a yes." Joker replied. "Nah! She winked at me!" Killer Croc growled.

Harley continued with the trolley, she wondered if it was safe to approach Joker and tell him who she really was with all the inmates watching her, _to heck with it_.

She pushed the trolley towards Joker, "Hello nurse." He said. "Hiya Puddin'." Harley whispered. "Harley?" Joker asked, "What are you doing here?"

"Breakin' you out, whadda ya think I was doin' here?" Harley asked, _breaking myself back in?_

Joker began laughing, "Cleaver girl!" He laughed. "Well get me out then." He said. Harley put the ID card into the scanner on the wall and the cell door unlocked, "Oh Puddin'!" Harley exclaimed as Joker stepped out of the cell.

"Hey!" Killer Croc exclaimed. "Let us out too!" Two-Face snarled. "Sorry boys, we're blowing town!" Joker said as he began to run out of the cell corridor, Harley followed quickly behind him, when suddenly, " **JOKER'S ESCAPING!** " Killer Croc roared, and the angry prisoners began shouting and banging on the glass.

"Every man for himself." Joker said, he suddenly ran out of the corridor and left Harley in the corridor, "Hey!" She exclaimed.

"Bet you weren't expecting that were you, my love." Ivy said. "Shut up, Red!" Harley snapped. "The white coats will be down any minute now, let me out and I'll help you escape." Ivy said, seductively. Harley rolled her eyes, "Alright." She said. She put the card into the scanner and Ivy's door opened.

"Me next!" Killer Croc exclaimed. "Maybe some other time." Ivy said as she grabbed the ID card out of Harley's hand and threw onto the floor. "Let's go." Ivy said, running out of the cell corridor, Harley followed behind.

"This way." Ivy said as she turned the corner into the janitor's closet. "Hey Red, this better not be a setup, you're not gonna leave me in here and run off are ya?" Harley asked. "No!" Ivy snapped. "Oh no, you're gonna beat me fer leavin' ya!" Harley exclaimed. "I'll _beat_ you if you if you don't shut up!" Ivy snapped, Harley scowled.

Ivy pushed open the window, "Let's go!" She exclaimed. "What?" Harley asked. "Out the window! Let's go!" Ivy exclaimed, as she began to climb out the window, Harley quickly followed. Harley realised that she and Ivy were now outside, it was dark and cold, but they were out of Arkham Asylum.

"Let's go!" Ivy exclaimed, grabbing Harley's hand and running away from Arkham.

"Where we goin'?" Harley asked. "Greenhouse." Ivy panted.

 **Meanwhile: Nevada Desert, three miles from the Blazing Man Festival**

Daphne Blake sat on a rock whilst her best friend/cameraman, Fred Jones, paced back and forth. In the distance, Daphne could see the lights of the festival. "How long do we have to wait here?" Fred asked. "Until she turns up." Daphne replied. "And stop pacing!"

"Do you hear that?" Fred asked. "No hear what?" Daphne asked, getting slightly annoyed. "That!" Fred exclaimed. "Freddy, I can't hear anyth-" Daphne was cut off when a small rock slid off the top of a larger rock and crashed to the ground. The larger rock lifted, and a small woman in an orange dress climbed out from underneath.

"Mole people!" Fred exclaimed and threw his camera at the woman.

"Are you crazy!" Daphne exclaimed, "Mole people?" She asked, "Remember that movie we watched, it still gives me nightmares." Fred replied, "Mole people?" She asked again, "I was protecting you!" He exclaimed. "From mole people?" Daphne asked.

Velma sat up, "You two suck at 'hellos'." She said. "Doctor Dinkley?" Daphne asked. "Uh-hu." Velma replied as she rubbed her head. "Miss Blake and Mr Jones, I take it?" She asked, they both nodded.

Suddenly, a growling came from behind Velma. "Get behind me Daph!" Fred exclaimed, "Scooby, down!" Velma shouted. "Scooby?" Daphne asked, "Scooby!" A man shouted from behind a rock. "Scooby come ba- oh Doctor Dinkley, I-uh-" Shaggy started. "Mr Rogers! What is the asset doing out of the Complex!" Velma exclaimed. "Complex?" Fred asked, "Asset?" Daphne asked. "Come with me." Velma sighed. She lifted the rock to reveal steps going down, Daphne's eyes widened. "This isn't the weirdest thing I've seen all day." She stared. "You saw that guy dressed like pirate at the festival too, huh?" Shaggy asked. Daphne and Fred exchanged looks. "I said follow me, come on!" Velma exclaimed. They followed her and found themselves in an underground lab.

"This is the Complex." Velma said, "Why is it hidden away?" Fred asked, "For secrecy. Several years ago, I worked for four people who I like to call The Four." Velma began, "Naturally." Daphne replied.

"Their intention was to infect the human race with a techno virus, restructuring and rebuilding our species so that-" Velma was cut off, "Infect us?" Daphne asked, "Hang on!" Shaggy cut in. "I've worked here for three years; this place is just a low-level military research facility!" He finished.

"Mr Rogers, might I say that your project, dog training, is just a distraction." Velma said, "A distraction?" Fred asked, "Yes, a side project for the government that helps fund Project Elysium."

"What?" Shaggy asked, "We need to get to the Safe Zone." Velma said, "There ain't no Safe Zone!" Shaggy said firmly, "There ain't no project whatever you called it, this place is just military!"

"You're a dog trainer, there are so many things about this place that you don't know, Mr Rogers." Velma said, "Call me Shaggy. All my buddies do!" Shaggy exclaimed happily, "I'm not your buddy, and according to your personal records, you name is Norville." Velma said.

"What's all this about Dinkley, why'd you want us down here?" Daphne asked. "Look for yourself." Velma said as she handed Daphne a clipboard. "Random papers on a clipboard." Daphne said. "Do you know what I went through to get this information Miss Blake." Velma said, "What exactly is your position here, Doc?" Fred asked, "That's not the point, the main priority is the truth." Velma said.

"Nanites dispersed across the world like a contagion?" Daphne asked as she read the paper, "Aren't nanites like microscopic machines?" Fred asked. "Indeed, and these particular machines root-unseen- in their human host." Velma said.

Fred and Daphne exchanged looked. "I've worked here f'three years!" Shaggy exclaimed once again, "There is no Safe Zone, guys. Trust me! Nothing of what she said is true! This place develops enhanced technology like the head gear Scooby's wearing!" Shaggy exclaimed, "See my buddy here is a smart dog prototype and-"

"What he is, is a failure." Velma cut in.

"Don't call him that!" Shaggy shouted "You know as well as I do Mr Rogers that Scooby was one of the earliest attempts at the smart dog prototype. He lacked the killer instinct and the intelligence the government required." Velma said.

"Of course, he's not a killer, he's a sweetheart." Shaggy said. "Rank-roo." Scooby said, Daphne and Fred's eyes widened. "He's a sweet dog but as far as the program goes he's a catastrophe." Velma said.

"He can talk?" Daphne asked. "It's the Smart-Dog implant, it allows him to talk." Velma said, "It's the only thing that worked with Scooby." She said.

"I think you're the catastrophe Doc! You don't have any secret information t'share, do you? You're just some loony tryin' t'get attention for herself, and its high time I called security and take you away! Sure, I'll get into a little trouble myself for letting these ordinary people in." Shaggy said. "Hey!" Fred and Daphne shouted together. "But a Shaggy's gotta do what a Shaggy's gotta- wait a minute where are we I've never seen this area before?" Shaggy said

Fred gave Daphne a look of 'what on earth is going on', Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Of course, you haven't seen this area, it's restricted Mr Rogers!" Velma said, "So everything you told us is true?" Shaggy asked, "Yes, Mr Rogers, unfortunately it is." Velma said.

She pushed a door open and walked inside, she looked back at the others who were just staring at her. "Well, come on then!" She exclaimed, reluctantly, they followed her in.

As they entered the room, they noticed how deserted it was. 'Where are the scientists?' Shaggy thought. There were spiral steps going down, it was almost like a three-story library.

"Welcome to the Safe Zone!" Velma said, "Zoinks!" Shaggy shouted, "That's one way of putting it." Velma said.

"Where is everybody?" Daphne asked, "Gone for the day, leaving only skeleton staff. This was the best time to sneak you in. Are you getting all this Mr. Jones?" Velma asked, "Uh-hu." Fred said, holding his camera.

"Why is it called the Safe Zone?" Shaggy asked, Velma went to speak but Daphne cut her off "Because your group of concerned scientists will be locked away here, safe from the nanite plague."

"Precisely." Velma said "But you said the nanites were going t'transform humanity. What work do they do?" Shaggy asked "The original intent of Project Elysium was to weed out man's instincts for greed, anger and the urge to violence, providing the biological template for a more peaceful world. But is ballooned considerably beyond that." Velma said

"And you'd know, wouldn't you Doctor Dinkley." Daphne said. "Whadda ya mean?" Shaggy asked, "According to these documents, she was one of the team that dispersed the tech virus from key points of the planet." Shaggy looked from Daphne to Velma in shock.

"London, Paris, Mumbai, Moscow, Beijing and the nanites were self-replicating spreading to every corner of the globe." Daphne said.

"The project was created to save the world!" Velma fought back, but before Daphne or anyone could say anything in return, a loud creaking noise came from around the corner and an alarm screamed through the corridors.

"Oh no!" Velma shouted "This can't be happening! The nanites have been activated!"

"What! But you said only The Four could do that!" Fred shouted.

"That's right!" Velma replied, "But how-" Daphne began, "I don't know!" Velma shouted then she ran off down the corridor, "Where are you going Doc!" Fred shouted. "To run a global diagnostic! If they have been activated, then there may be a way to shut them down!"

"Can you shut down the alarm first, Doc?" Shaggy asked. "Mr Rogers! If the nanites aren't stopped the deafness will most certainly be the least of your worries!" Velma snapped before continuing to run down the corridor. The others chased after her.

They followed her to a room and stared at a large screen with a picture of the globe on it. On various areas of the planet there was red flashing lights. "No! No!" Velma shouted, "I didn't mean for this to happen!"

"My guess is the nanites have been activated." Shaggy said, suddenly the screen went dark, and the lights went out.

"Doc?" Fred asked, "Did you do that?"

"No, Mr. Jones, the power has gone out in the entire Complex." Velma said, "Is that good or bad?" Daphne asked. "I wish I knew." Velma replied, "However the emergency generators are programmed to kick in when the power goes out."

Then the lights came back on.

"Perfect." Velma said, "Now the three of you put your shoulders to that wheel and push." Velma said, "What about you?" Daphne asked, "Miss Blake, I'm a scientist I don't do manual labour like you people." Daphne gritted her teeth and growled, Fred grabbed her arm, "Just do it, Daph."

Daphne glared at Velma, she helped Fred and Shaggy push the door open and it didn't take much effort to open it. "Well done." Velma said. Daphne growled under her breath, Fred nudged her arm.

The group walked around the corner and Velma spotted something. "Keep quiet, that's Mr Kramer, our chief of Biotech. I didn't even know he was in today. Keep out of sight and I'll go and speak to him." Velma began to approach Mr Kramer, however Scooby started growling "What's buggin' ya buddy?" Shaggy asked.

"Why Eric, what lovely surprise, I thought you were at the company picnic with everyone else. Uh, this is my sister and her husband and this is Mr Rogers from the smart dog program."

The three exchanged looks, Scooby continued to growl. "This has been-"

 **RRRRRRRGHHHHHH!**

 **"JINKIES!"** Velma screamed, 'Mr Kramer' turned around, but he was no human, he was a monster. He had purply/grey skin, razor sharp claws and 6 rows of very sharp teeth, he had no eyes or a nose only small holes on either side of his head where ears would be.

Velma fled from him.

"Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!" She screamed as she ran past Fred, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby. "Wow, that Mr Kramer must be one tough cookie." Shaggy said. "Where are you going?" Daphne shouted after her. "Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!Jinkies!" Velma shouted, "Anybody know was one of those are?" Daphne asked.

"Scooby?" Shaggy asked, he turned around and Scooby attacking the Mr Kramer monster. "Oh my god!" Shaggy screamed, Daphne stared wide-eyed and Fred dropped the camera.

Scooby pinned the monster onto the floor and continued to attack him. "Scooby let's go!" Shaggy shouted. Scooby leaped off the monster and followed Shaggy, Daphne and Fred. They ran up a set of stairs and along a corridor. Daphne stopped, another monster, a smaller green one emerged from the door in front of them.

Shaggy turned around and saw the Mr Kramer monster following them. "We're trapped!" He screamed. However, the green monster paid no attention to them. "No, hold on." Daphne said, the green monster jumped over the banister and landed on top of the Mr Kramer monster and they began attacking each other.

They stared in shock, then realised that this was their chance to run and they took off along the corridor, the same direction Velma ran.

They turned into a door way, Fred gasped, "Doc!" He shouted. "You left us behind!" Daphne and Shaggy shouted together. "What were those things?" Fred asked, "I don't know what they've become but they used to be my co-workers." Velma said trembling.

The room they were in was filled with TV monitors, all the footage was still except for the screen in the middle which showed the two monsters fighting. The Mr Kramer monster wasn't winning the fight.

"I need to understand what's happened here, how they have changed like that. The nanites have clearly infected them like a-"

"Plague." Daphne cut in. "Is that what this is Doctor?" Shaggy asked. "Your nanites at work?"

"I told you, the nanites are supposed to take out the instincts of greed and violence, they're not supposed to do this!" Velma shouted

"Tell that to the poor guy with his intestines ripped out!" Daphne exclaimed, pointing to the screen which now showed Mr Kramer's monster lying on the ground, his insides spilled over the floor and the other monster was feeding off his intestines.

"Are you ok, Freddy? You're white as a sheet!" Daphne asked, "Well, I don't have nerves of steel like you!" Fred gasped. "If it makes you feel any better, I'm scared too." She replied, "Don't worry Daph, whatever's going on, we'll get through it together, we always do."


	2. Chapter 2

**2**

 **Poison Ivy's Greenhouse, Gotham City**

"Hey Red, do you think they'll come lookin' for us here?" Harley asked. "It'll be the first place Batman will think to look." Ivy said, as she tended to her roses, "But my plants will protect us." She said. "Hey, has Batman been here before?" Harley asked.

"Yes, it was a few years ago though, but it won't be the last place on his list." Ivy said.

"Right. Hey, Red I'm sorry about what happened before." Harley said. "Save it, Harley, it doesn't matter anymore." Ivy said. "O-ok." Harley replied, looking to the ground.

"You know," Ivy began, "I can't believe you, after everything the Joker has done _to_ you, and everything I have done _for_ you, you still chose him over me!" Ivy exclaimed as she picked the dead leaves off the rose.

"I-I know, I'm sorry Red, I really am!" Harley exclaimed. "But you still risked your freedom to break him out of Arkham!" Ivy exclaimed.

"I'm sorry Red, he just has-"

"A hold on you!" Ivy exclaimed, "Yes, I know, you say this every time, and every time, you run back to him like a dog with a frisbee." Ivy snapped.

Harley gasped, "I do not run back to him!" Harley exclaimed. "You did last time we were together!" Ivy snapped.

"I said I was sorry, Red!" Harley exclaimed. "A-And you just said, it doesn't matter anymore!"

Ivy took a deep breath, "You're right, it doesn't matter anymore, because I'm over it."

 **The Batcave, deep under Wayne Manor, Gotham City**

Batman sat at the Batcomputer whilst Nightwing, Red Robin, Batgirl, Robin and Red Hood sparred with each other. "Joker has escaped from Arkham again." Batman said. "Are you really surprised, Bruce?" Red Hood asked, as he ducked from Robin's sword.

"Poison Ivy got out too." Batman said. "What?" Batgirl asked, then "Ow!" She screamed as a baterang hit her leg. "Tim! I wasn't ready!" She exclaimed. "Which gave me the perfect opportunity to strike!" Red Robin exclaimed.

"Ok, listen up." Batman said, standing from his chair, the sparring stopped. "We need to find Joker and Poison Ivy, I can't imagine they're working together but in case they are, be prepared." Batman said, everyone nodded.

There was suddenly a beeping noise, the security camera outside Wayne Manor was picking up strange movements. "Father, what is that?" Robin asked as everyone looked at the live security footage.

A small group of monsters stomped past the front gates. "Um…maybe someone is having a costume party." Nightwing said, hopefully. "Why are they all the way out here?" Batgirl asked, "I know it's not us, but the only other house nearby is on the Kane estate, and Kate's taken Cass to the theatre with Alfred." She said.

Batman pressed a few keys on Batcomputer, and a video footage from inside the city popped up. "Oh my god." He gasped. Monsters: red, yellow, green and blue, short and tall, large and small, destroyed the city.

"All those people." Batgirl said, "They're still out there."

 **The Complex, underneath Nevada Desert**

Velma cautiously walked down the corridor with Fred, Daphne, Shaggy and Scooby behind her. "So, how many people were supposed t'be goin' to this picnic?" Shaggy asked. "Everyone who works down here, so approximately sixty-five people, excluding myself, but it's a possibility that not _everyone_ went, as we saw from the mutated Mr Kramer." Velma said. "And the other one." Fred said.

"Where are you taking us, Dinkley?" Daphne asked. "We need to get out of the complex and find somewhere safer to stay whilst I figure things out." Velma said. "Figure what out?" Daphne asked.

A scaly purple hand reached out from around the corner, "Help me…" a voice was heard, "Becky? Becky is that you?" Shaggy asked, "Yes" Said the voice. "A-are you, all right?" Shaggy asked. "Actually, I've never been better!" She said.

A tall purple monster wearing a green dress jumped from around the corner. She had long dark blue hair, large red eyes and very sharp teeth. "Fred!" Daphne screamed, 'Becky' pushed Fred against a wall and kicked Shaggy in the stomach, then she climbed onto the him and grabbed his head in her hands, "Give us a little kiss darling! I've seen the way you look at me in the break room!"

"Get away from him!" Velma screamed as she hit the monster on the back of the head with the gun handle. "Why Doctor Dinkley, that wasn't very nice of you was it!" Becky screamed and threw Velma back against a wall. Scooby jumped on Becky's back, she grabbed him and pinned him to the floor. Daphne picked up a gun and opened fire on Becky's neck.

Fred, Shaggy and Velma climbed up. Daphne trembled, standing over Becky's body, "That was Becky from animal control, you just killed her." Shaggy said, "She did what she had to do." Fred said putting a hand on her shoulder, Daphne grabbed his collar, "I just killed a human being!" Daphne screamed, tears running down her face. She shot a look at Velma, "This is all your fault!"

"We need t'get outta here!" Shaggy shouted, he turned around and pulled a metal grate, "This leads to the garage, right Doc?" Shaggy asked, "Yes, but-" Velma began "No buts, we're going!" He said,

 **GARRRRR!**

The group whipped around and saw three monsters running towards them, "Go!" Fred shouted as he picked up a gun, the others crawled through the vent, Fred began firing at the monsters, then quickly followed the others.

At the end of the vent, Shaggy climbed out of a metal grate into a garage like room, there was a large tank like vehicle. "Mr Krebs built this van, but he hardly used it. He just got back from sick leave." Shaggy said, "Not sure why he called it the Mystery Machine though." "Sick leave?" Daphne asked, "Yeah, he had t'get a pacemaker."

Scooby barked, "What's up buddy?" Shaggy asked, Scooby continued to bark at a corner of the garage. Shaggy went to see what was wrong.

In the corner, where Scooby was barking, was a body, mangled. "Mr Krebs!" Shaggy exclaimed. "I'm sorry, Shaggy." Daphne said

"Shaggy, do you mind if I look at his body?" Velma asked.

"Why?" Shaggy asked, "Somethings got me thinking." Velma replied, "There is no thinking." Said a sinister voice, the group looked around them. "Only dying now." Said the voice. They looked up and saw several monsters looking down at them from the metal beams. "Kill them all!" Said another monster

"Zoinks!" Shaggy shouted, "Get in the van!" Velma exclaimed "We're not going to make it, Doc!" Fred exclaimed, "You might be right!" Velma shouted as a monster jumped down and grabbed her wrist.

Fred began firing at the monster. Shaggy grabbed a crowbar and began attacking the monsters, after the monster collapsed to the ground with several blows to the head, he admired the crowbar, "This'll come in handy!" He said.

Velma and Fred climbed into the van followed by Scooby and Shaggy not far behind. Daphne however began to open fire on the monsters "They're not people! They're not people!" she kept telling herself, suddenly her gun ran out of ammunition and she collapsed to the ground against the van and cried.

"Daphne!" Shaggy screamed, monsters began to surround her. "Just leave me here to die!" She cried "Yes, that's best!" Shouted one of the monsters. "Like hell!" Shaggy exclaimed and began attacking the monsters with the crowbar. Scooby jumped out of the van and attacked several monsters.

Shaggy picked Daphne up and put her into the van, "Scooby!" He shouted. Scooby followed him into the van, Shaggy jumped into the front seat. "Drive! DRIVE!" Velma screamed, "I'm trying! It's not like a normal vehicle!" Shaggy exclaimed.

"I'm here Daph, whatever happens." Fred said softly.

A monster forced the door open and grabbed Velma's ankle, "I'm gonna die! Oh my God!" She screamed, "You'll never escape!" Shouted the monster, Scooby jumped over the back seat and attacked it.

Fred picked up a gun, but it was out of ammunition, "You'll never escape!" Shouted the monster, another came from behind it, "Eat your organ, suck your bones!" Snarled the monster.

"Oh crap!" Fred groaned as more monsters tried to get into the van. "Feast on your flesh!" Snarled the monster as it ran its claws across Fred's face, he collapsed. Velma hit the monster repeatedly with a metal first aid kit.

"They killed him!" Daphne exclaimed as she stood up, "These monsters killed Fred!" She jumped on to the front seat and kicked one of the monsters, it fell back onto the others and they tumbled out of the van. The engine roared and Shaggy drove out of the garage.

Some of the monsters jumped onto the front of the van, Shaggy picked up speed. "That's a heavily fortified door up ahead!" Velma screamed. "Yep!" Shaggy replied, "Are you going to stop?!" Velma screamed. "Nope!" Shaggy said and crashed through the door, no damage came to the van, but the door was no more, the monsters were killed and what was left of them was on all on the windscreen.

Daphne pulled Fred to the back of the van and onto a metal bed, blood dripped from his forehead, down his face.

Shaggy sped away from the garage and the stopped after a few minutes. "You did it Shaggy! You saved us!" Velma exclaimed as she patted him on the back, "You're trembling." She said, "That's what blind terror does t'a guy." Shaggy said. "You saved us!" Velma exclaimed, "I had no idea what I was doing, what if I couldn't start the van?" He asked, "But you did it anyway!" Velma encouraged. "Daph, how's Fred?" Shaggy asked.

Trembling and heart racing, Daphne cleaned most of the blood from his face. "Still unconscious and white as a sheet!" She exclaimed, "Let me have a look." Velma said as she made her way to the back of the van. "NO!" Daphne screamed, putting her hand protectively on Fred's chest, shielding him from Velma. "DON'T YOU TOUCH HIM!"

"Have it your way, but would you rather let me help him or let him die?" Velma exclaimed "He's gonna be alright, Daph." Shaggy said as he climbed into the back, "NO HE'S NOT! NONE OF THIS IS ALRIGHT!" Daphne screamed.

She took a deep breath, "I'm sorry." She said, looking away from the two.

"Let's get out of here." Shaggy said, he started the van up again.

Daphne sat at the back of the van, Velma took the first aid kit and dressed Fred's wounds. Daphne fell asleep at the back of the van.

Whilst Velma dressed Fred's wounds, she felt the van slowing down. "Are we running out of fuel?" She asked, no response. "Shaggy?" She asked. "Is everything ok?"

"You'd better come take a look at this, Doc." Shaggy said, grimly. "She stuck a piece of microfibre tape onto the bandage wrapped around Fred's arm, then made her way to the front of the van. "What is i- oh my gosh." She said. "The Blazin' Man Festival." Shaggy said, taking a deep breath as they drove slowly past. There were monsters everywhere, a fire started in one of the tents and it spread to another, then another.

"Let's get out of here." Velma said, Shaggy put his foot on the gas.

Scooby sat in the back next to Fred, watching him, he looked up at Daphne several times but focused his attention on Fred.

 **Poison Ivy's Greenhouse, Gotham City**

Harley and Ivy finally stopped arguing and the tension had gone. "Hey Red, I haven't heard any police cars around." Harley said. "You know, I was just thinking that. And Batman should have been here by now."

"R-R-Red." Harley stammered. "What is Harl-" Ivy gasped, turning around to Harley. There was a monster trudging outside her greenhouse, another one followed, and another. "What are they?" Harley squeaked. "Shhh." Ivy whispered. "I don't think they've seen us." Ivy said.

"Very slowly Harley, come towards me." Ivy said quietly as she picked up her shears, Harley crept slowly to Ivy, "Can I have a weapon too?" Harley asked. "Your baseball bat is in the cupboard." Ivy said. "You kept it?" Harley asked. "Well…yeah." Ivy replied.

The monsters trudged away, they had not noticed Harley or Ivy, they both sighed in relief. "What were those things?" Harley asked. "I don't know, but I bet that's what's keeping Batman and the police busy!" Ivy exclaimed.

"Maybe…maybe we should go an' find B-Man." Harley said. "And risk him throwing us both back into Arkham?" Ivy asked, Harley sighed, "But what if they come back?"


	3. Chapter 3

**3**

 **Batcave, under Wayne Manor, Gotham City**

Batman and the others stared at the screen, watching the monsters terrorise Gotham City. "All those poor people out there." Batgirl said. "Hang on." Batman said. "Look at this one." Batman zoomed into the footage and pointed at a big, hairy blue monster wearing a shredded white shirt, black trousers, torn at the knees, and clipped to his trousers was police badge. Everyone studied the monster, they were all thinking the same thing, but nobody wanted to admit it, it sounded crazy.

"It's fat and hairy, like Detective Bullock." Robin said. "They're all wearing some form of clothing." Nightwing said. "Like, the people of Gotham, have been turned into monsters." Red Hood said.

Batman took a deep breath. "What are you thinking, Bruce?" Red Robin asked. "I'm thinking, the same day Poison Ivy and the Joker escape from Arkham, the entire city gets turned into monsters." Batman said.

"You really think Poison Ivy could pull _this_ off?" Batgirl asked. "I don't know, but it's strange." Batman said. "I do agree with you Bruce", Nightwing said "But I don't think Poison Ivy could have done this."

"Shall we go out?" Batgirl asked, "See if there are any people out there?"

"No, it's too dangerous." Batman said, "We need to think of another way."

"We could take the Batwing." Red Robin said. "And do an infrared scan for human life." Batgirl said, Red Robin nodded. Batman took a deep breath. "Alright, Tim, Damian, Jason and Dick, come with me. Barbara stay here, see if you can find anyone on the cameras." Batman said.

Batman and the boys climbed into the Batwing and flew into the city, Batgirl stood next to the Batcomputer.

As the flew above the city Red Hood and Robin stared down at the monsters, "How did this happen?" Robin asked. "Hopefully we'll find that out." Red Robin said. "Batman slow down, I'm setting the cameras to infrared and scanning for human life." Red Robin said he played with a few controls.

After a few minutes, Red Robin lost his spirit, "There's nobody out here." He said grimly. He sighed, "Steph and Harper went to the bar this evening." Batman put his hand on Robin's shoulder. "Kate and Alfred took Cass to the Gotham theatre." Batman said.

Suddenly a beeping noise was heard. "What's that?" Batman asked. "It's coming from that direction." Robin pointed towards Poison Ivy's greenhouse. "You think it's a coincidence that the people in Gotham are mutated the same day Poison Ivy and the Joker escape from Arkham and the only sign of human life is at her greenhouse?" Batman asked.

Red Robin sighed, Batman flew towards the greenhouse. "Is that?" Red Hood asked. "Harley and Ivy?" Nightwing asked, as they looked down into the greenhouse.

"It's Batman!" Harley exclaimed as the Batwing hovered above them. There was a loud growl, "Now you've done it!" Ivy exclaimed, the monsters came trudging back through the garden. "Help us Batman!" Harley screamed.

"Batman! We need to help them!" Nightwing exclaimed. "Red Hood, Nightwing, let's go. You two stay here!" Batman said.

Batman, Red Hood and Nightwing jumped down from the Batwing and crashed through the glass roof of the greenhouse, just as the monsters crashed through the glass windows heading towards Ivy and Harley. "My babies!" Ivy screamed as the monsters ran over her beloved plants. Nightwing and Batman grabbed Harley and Ivy and fired their grappling hooks up to the Batwing and took Harley and Ivy to safety whilst Red Hood opened fire at the monsters, then he fired his grappling hook and got back into the Batwing.

"My babies!" Ivy screamed. "Let's get back to the Batcave!" Batman shouted, Red Robin flew the Batwing back to the Batcave. "What were those things?" Batman exclaimed. "We were hopin' you'd know, Bats." Harley said. "You didn't know about these things?" Nightwing said. "No, we were just in the greenhouse when one of 'em stomped by." Harley said.

"We need to get back to the Batcave." Batman said with urgency. "What's the matter Batman?" Ivy asked, "What are those things?"

"The entire city has been turned into monsters." Batman said. "What?" Harley asked. "The entire city has been turned into the city." Nightwing said. "If the entire city has been turned into monsters, then how are we all still human?" Robin asked. "We were in the Batcave when we first saw the footage." Batman said.

"And Harley and I were in the greenhouse, I'm immune to many things and it's possible that my greenhouse protected her from the mutation." Ivy said.

"That's a possibility." Batman said, everyone nodded. "We'll discuss when we get back to the cave." Batman said.

 **10 Miles from the Complex, Nevada**

When Daphne woke up in the back of the Mystery Machine, she was alone. "Fred!" She exclaimed, "Shaggy?"

"Out here, Daph!" Shaggy called. Daphne jumped out of the van when she saw Fred and Shaggy standing outside, "How're you feelin', Daph?" Shaggy asked, "There's not a part of my body that doesn't ache. But Fred?" She asked.

"I'm ok. But I'm sorry if I let you down back there, Daph. I should have prote-" Before he could finish, Daphne jumped into his arms, "I thought I was going to lose you." She said. "You…really care about me, Daph?" He asked, "Of course I do." She said, "Well," He began, "Will you marry me?" He asked.

"Will I what?" She asked, pulling away. "Um…nothing." He said. "How many times Fred! How many times do I have to tell you we're just friends?" She exclaimed. "A lot." He said. "I swear if you propose to me again I'll-"

"Again? He's done this before?" Shaggy asked. "Only a few thousand times!" Daphne replied.

Fred cleared his throat, "So what do we do now, Doc?" He asked as Velma climbed out of the Mystery Machine. "We need to find supplies for ourselves, then we need to find a laptop, so I can try to hack into the complex's system and find out what the Four did to change the virus." Velma said.

Suddenly there was a loud blast. They realised they were stood on top of a hill looking down into a small town, a huge fire was roaring, and monsters were growling and fighting with each other.

"We'd, like better get out of here." Shaggy said, climbing into the Mystery Machine, followed by Daphne and Fred. Velma watched the monsters for a few seconds before she climbed into the van.

Shaggy stared the engine. "We need to get some fuel." He said. "I'm sure there'll be a gas station on the way." Fred said.

After driving for about an hour, they pulled into a gas station. "Let's fill her up!" He exclaimed as he jumped out of the van. "It seems quiet here." Velma said. "Maybe we should stay for a few hours then." Fred suggested. "And we can gather some supplies." Shaggy said. "And rest." Fred said. "That's a good idea." Velma said.

"Come on buddy, let's get some supplies." Shaggy said as he patted Fred's shoulder.

Scooby and Daphne sat on the back step of the van and watched as Velma rummaged through a few boxes. "What are you looking for?" Daphne asked. "I wonder if there's a laptop in here?" She asked as she rummaged through the boxes. "What do you need a laptop for?" Daphne asked. "I want to hack into the complex's system and see if the virus can be shut down." Velma said. "And if it can't?" Daphne asked.

"Then we'll be-"

"Running for the rest of our lives, right?" Daphne asked, grimly. Velma nodded. Daphne sighed, she climbed into the back of the van. "What are you doing?" Velma asked. "Looking around." Daphne said. "Take a nap." Velma suggested. "And leave you on watch?" Daphne laughed. "Hey!" Velma exclaimed. "I'm rere." Scooby said. "Ok." Daphne said.

"Too bad the Mystery Machine doesn't have an oven, man I love pizza!" Shaggy exclaimed, as he picked up a frozen pizza. "I'm surprised the electric is still working, with the virus and all." Fred said.

"You'd think everythin' Mr Krebs put in the van, he'd think t'put an oven in." Shaggy said. "Hey, there's dog treats there." Fred said. "Dude, Scooby doesn't eat _dog food_." Shaggy said. "We'll what does he eat?" Fred asked. "Candy, pizza, burgers, hot dogs." Shaggy said. "Hot dogs? Isn't that cannibalism?" Fred asked, Shaggy rolled his eyes. "Hey, what's that implant Velma said Scooby had?" Fred asked.

"So, at the complex, there were six other dogs there, all part of the Smart-Dog Program. Scooby an' the other dogs were given implants which helps them speak like people." Shaggy said. "Why did Velma say he was 'catastrophe'?" Fred asked. "Oh, because it worked perfectly for the other dogs, Scoob's got a bit of a speech impediment because his implants didn't work. The other dogs bullied him because of it." Shaggy said sadly.

"Hey, I got a question for ya dude." Shaggy said. "What's goin' on with you an' Daphne?" Shaggy asked.

"Oh, we met at college, one look in those eyes and I fell in love with her straight away." Fred said.

Daphne climbed out the back of the Mystery Machine with a gun in her hand. "You should be sleeping, what is that?" Velma asked, Daphne rolled her eyes. "I'm fine but if you're tired you take a nap and _I'll_ take watch with Scooby." Daphne said.

"Alright." Velma said and climbed into the back of the van, closing the doors behind her.

"What's rat?" Scooby asked. "I have no idea, but it's looks awesome." Daphne said, as she sat on the step of the van.

"So, you can talk, huh." Daphne said. "Rep." Scooby replied. "How?" Daphne asked. "Rimplants." Scooby said. "What?" Daphne asked. "Rimplants." Scooby repeated. Daphne thought for a second, "Oh, _implants_!" She exclaimed. "So, the uh…Smart Dog Program put implants in your brain to make you talk?" Daphne asked. "Rep." Scooby said, Daphne muttered under her breath.

Daphne stood up and looked through the broke shop window, Fred and Shaggy were sleeping on the window ledge. "Sleeping like babies in the middle of an apocalypse." She joked to herself.

Scooby started growling, Daphne turned back around and saw him growling at a monster crawling down the side of the Mystery Machine, suddenly several monsters jumped down from the roof of the store and surrounded Daphne and Scooby.

Scooby barked loudly, Velma burst out of the Mystery Machine, "What's happening?" She asked. "Seriously?" Daphne asked. "Oh, right." Velma said, seeing all the monsters. "I found a drone in the van!" She exclaimed. "A drone?" Daphne asked.

There was a crash, Fred burst through window as a monster crept behind Daphne, "Fred?" She asked. She aimed the gun at the monster and pulled the trigger. "What?" She and Fred both said, confused. When she pulled the trigger, a blue beam fired and impaled the monster, it's top half disintegrated, and its bottom half collapsed onto the ground. "Um…ok." Fred said.

Several monsters surrounded them, Daphne and Fred began shooting at them. Scooby jumped onto each one of them and ripped at their throats.

Velma jumped into the back of the Mystery Machine and grabbed the drone. She took it back outside and switched it on, it began to hover over the monsters. "You'll never stop us!" One of the monsters exclaimed. Velma pressed one of the buttons on the remote control, the drone began to fire laser beams at the monsters and tore holes through their bodies, the monsters were all soon dead on the ground.

"Where's Shaggy?" Daphne asked, the looked through the store window, Shaggy was still sleeping on the window ledge. "He slept through that?" Daphne asked. "We should get going." Velma said. "I'll wake him up." Fred said.

Velma climbed into the back of the van, she pulled a map out from one of the boxes. "I need to find a laptop, we need to find a store that sells them." She said. "What about a mall-mart?" Shaggy asked. "Is there one close by?" Velma asked. "I think it's a few miles from here, it'll be nearer a town." Shaggy said. Daphne and Fred both sighed, "There's gonna be monsters there, a lot of them." Fred said.

 **Batcave, under Wayne Manor, Gotham City**

"So, you absolutely did not have anything to do with this, Ivy?" Red Robin asked. "For the last time, no!" She exclaimed. Batman sighed. "Batman." Batgirl piped up, "Is…is it worth looking at other cities, other states?" She asked. "It might not just be Gotham." Nightwing said.

Batman sighed again, "I've been trying to avoid this, I hoped we wouldn't need to." He said as he walked over to the Batcomptuer. He sighed again, "Ok, computer, connect to the watchtower and scan for human life _outside_ Gotham city."

 ** _"SCANNING…"_**

Everyone waited, hearts beating faster and faster.

 ** _"NO HUMAN LIFE DETECTED IN THE ONE-HUNDRED MILE RANGE OUTSIDE GOTHAM CITY."_**

"So, the entire country has been turned into monsters?" Batgirl asked, then she gasped. "Cass, Kate and Alfred, they were at the theatre! My dad was on duty." She said. "An' my Puddin' was out there too." Harley said sadly, Ivy rolled her eyes and scoffed in disgust.

 ** _"NO HUMAN LIFE DETECTED ON PLANET EARTH."_**

"Dammit." Barbara whispered. "Mother." Damian muttered, "Grandfather."

"All our friends." Batman said, standing up. "I will find whatever did this, whoever did this."

"Computer, continue scanning." Batman said. "Batman, the computer already scanned, there is nobody left, we're the last ones." Red Robin said.

"I don't care, we're going to keep searching until we find who or what did this!" Batman exclaimed.

"Dammit Bruce, there is nobody left!" Red Hood screamed. "Bruce?" Harley asked.

Batman glared at Red Hood, "Now look what you've done." Red Hood sighed, "Goddamit! There is nobody left so it doesn't matter anymore!" Red Hood exclaimed, as he pulled his helmet off. Harley and Ivy gasped. Batgirl, Red Robin and Nightwing stared wide-eyed, Robin shook his head in disappointment.

Jason stared at Batman. "You've failed us, Todd!" Robin exclaimed. "I agree with you Bruce, somebody did this, but there is nobody left hunt down." Jason said.

"About a week ago, I proposed to her." Batman said. Jason relaxed his face, "Selina?" He asked, Batman nodded. "Now she's gone."

Batman looked to the rest of his team, all staring back at him. Nightwing took a deep breath and pulled off his mask. "Dick?" Jason asked. "I agree with you Batman, but I don't there is anyone left." Dick said. "All our friends, family, allies, turned into monsters! Somebody needs to pay for this!" Batman said, but slowly, the others removed their masks.

Harley and Ivy putting the pieces together. Batman sat into the chair at the Batcomputer.

"I think we all need some rest." Barbara said, breaking the tension.

"I'm hungry." Damian said. "So am I." Tim said. "Me too." Harley said. "We could go upstairs, grab some food and hurry back down?" Dick said. "Is that a good idea?" Barbara asked, sarcastically.

"It's ok," Batman said, keeping his eyes on the screen. "Go upstairs and bring some supplies down."

"Harley, Ivy stay here." Batman said, everyone stepped up to the kitchen, leaving Batman, Harley and Ivy in the Batcave.

"Why?" Ivy asked. "I want to talk to you." Batman said. "We didn't have anything ta do with this B-Man!" Harley exclaimed. "I know." Batman replied.

"Now you've pissed him off." Damian said. "What did I do?" Jason exclaimed. "Exposed your identity to two insane criminals!" Damian exclaimed. "So, did you!" Jason shouted. "That's enough!" Barbara exclaimed. "Now, everyone keep your voices down, we don't know what could be in here."

"Let's just get some food and get back to the Batcave, where it's safe." Dick said.

Tim and Barbara opened all the cupboards and put all the food into a big bag. Jason and Damian carried as many bottles of water as they could, down into the Batcave. Dick and Barbara went quietly upstairs to gather clothes, pillows and blankets. Then they quickly and quietly returned to the Batcave.

"I have always doubted you both as criminals, but as people I thought you had a chance." Batman said. "A chance at what?" Ivy asked. "Making the world a better place." Batman said, "You want to restore it with plants and animals, and you just want live your lives."

"I asked you to stay down here, because, I've been doing this for the last twenty years, it is my life, I would never allow anyone, apart from my kids, to see my identity." Batman said.

"I already know you're Bruce Wayne, boy billionaire!" Harley exclaimed. "I know, but this cowl, makes me feel that there is something that I can do to make a difference, every time I put it on." Batman said, his hand reaching up to his head, he pulled the cowl off, revealing his identity. "I'm doing this as Bruce Wayne, with your help?" He asked.

They both stared at him for a few seconds, before they both nodded.

"So, we brought blankets, pillows and clothes and- Bruce!" Barbara gasped as she stepped into the Batcave, "You're…you're not wearing your cowl."

"I'm still going to search for someone responsible, but I need your help." He said. Tim closed the door. "Bat- oh goodness I thought the day would never come." He gasped, staring at Bruce from the top of the stairs. "Anyway, Bruce, we have brought everything we need, but the only issue is, if the monsters get in, they might find the entrance to the cave." Tim said.

Bruce thought for a minute. "Jason, Dick, move the equipment off that table, and help me saw it up so we can use it to hold the door, there are some tools in the cupboard over there, Dick." He said. "The rest of you get changed and get some rest." Bruce said.

 ** _"HUMAN LIFE DETECTED."_**

"What? Where?" Batman asked.

 ** _"RENO, NEVADA, LONGITUDE 39.498…LATITUDE -119.824_** ** _"_**


	4. Chapter 4

**4**

The gang found a Mall-Mart as they entered Reno, Shaggy and Scooby decided that whilst Velma was looking for a laptop, they should gather more supplies.

"Ok, let's go in." Velma said. Daphne, Fred and Shaggy grabbed guns and the gang crept slowly into the store. "Daphne come with me, whilst I find a laptop, you three load the van with supplies." Velma said.

"Ok." Daphne said, as she followed Velma towards the technology aisle.

"Aww sweet, Twinkies!" Shaggy exclaimed.

As they approached the laptops, Velma picked up the first one she could see. "Good, it's fully charged." She said. "Keep an eye open." Velma said, "With you around, always." Daphne replied.

Daphne turned her back on Velma and saw something in the distance. She walked slowly towards it, gun ready. As she got closer and closer, she discovered it was the body of the one of the staff, the store manager judging by his uniform. He was covered in green slime and his face and body were torn up. "Oh my god!" She exclaimed, trying to look away, but she just couldn't.

"What?" Velma came running up next to Daphne and gasped when she saw the body. "Hang on."

She knelt and grabbed a piece of broken glass, jabbed it into the man's chest and stuck her fingers in. "THAT'S DISGUSTING!" Daphne screamed. Velma pulled out a small gold, bolt like object. "Gross." Daphne looked away, "What is that?"

"I have no idea." Velma said, "But I'm taking it with me." She put it into her pocket, "You disgust me so much!" Daphne said. Velma sat back down and grabbed the laptop, "Just stay on guard."

Daphne once again stood with her back facing Velma and the gun held tightly in her hands.

"Should we go see what she's screamin' about now?" Shaggy asked, as he and Fred carried boxes of food to the Mystery Machine, they heard Daphne scream inside the store. "No, I know that tone," Fred laughed. "Daph's about to call Velma every name in the book, she gets a little excitable."

"A little?" Shaggy asked. "She's a passionate woman, she cares about everyth- well _almost_ everything." Fred said.

"Dude, you got it bad." Shaggy said.

"Ugh, it's only got half and hours' worth of battery life left." Velma said, sitting on top of the counter. "So, bring the charger, plug it in the van." Daphne said. "Oh alright." Velma said.

"So, what was that thing you disgustingly pulled out of the man's body?" Daphne asked. "We might not be the only survivors of this plague." Velma said. "What do you mean?" Daphne asked. Velma sighed, "If you want answers, stop talking so I can finish doing what I'm doing."

"So, the complex _we_ escaped from wasn't the only one?" Daphne asked. "You're still talking. I told you not to talk to me." Velma said. "I'm going to keep talking until you answer me." Daphne replied.

"The complex where I worked was the primary installation, but there are more across America, more across the world." Velma said. "If they survived this crisis, then-"

"Crisis? It's a fucking apocalypse." Daphne said.

"Maybe so, but that's one of the things that we need to find out for certain." Velma said, "Though it would be so much easier if you stopped distracting me!"

"I'm guessing your parents didn't send you to charm school." Daphne said sarcastically. "And yours did?" Velma replied, sarcastically. "It didn't take." Daphne smirked. "I can tell." Velma muttered.

Suddenly, a crash is heard followed by Shaggy screaming, Daphne runs to the sound and finds Fred, Shaggy and Scooby fighting monsters. "How did they find us?!" Daphne exclaimed, "I have no idea, but there are loads of them!" Fred exclaimed.

Daphne and Fred began firing, Shaggy was beating the monsters with the crowbar and Scooby was ripping them apart. Velma ran and jumped onto a shelf close by. "Get up high quick!" She yelled.

Fred climbed on the shelf and pulled Daphne up, Shaggy climbed on another shelf and pulled Scooby up.

Daphne and Fred lied on top of the shelf, panting, Daphne watched the monsters as they stomped around the store, searching for them.

On the next shelf, Shaggy held onto Scooby and Velma laid on her stomach with her hood over her head, trying to look and see if the monsters had seen them. They were snarling and growling, wondering up and down the aisles.

 **The Batcave, under Wayne Manor, Gotham City**

Bruce stared at the Batcomputer, he watched the monsters destroy the city, he kept an eye on the security footage outside Wayne Manor, he took a deep breath as he watched two monsters stomp towards the gate. "If these things get into the manor, it won't be long before they find us down here and that door won't hold them all off." Bruce said, he turned around and faced everyone.

"There are people who survived this, and I bet they had something to do with this." Bruce said. "So, we're going to find them."

"And what if it turns out that they had nothing to do with this?" Jason asked. "I'm not going to stop looking until I have an answer for this." Bruce said.

"So, what are we going to do?" Barbara asked. "We're going to go to Nevada and get some answers from these people." Bruce said. "But what if-" Jason began, but he was cut off by a sound coming the security footage outside. "Bruce…" Barbara began.

They watched the security footage, a group of monsters outside the Wayne Manor, pulled the iron gates until they came off the hinges. They stomped up to the house and beat the door down.

"I bet they're hungry." Jason said. "If they can smell us down here, they'll find us." Damian said.

"Put the supplies into the Batwing, take anything we might need. Do it quickly but be very quiet." Bruce said.

Barbara, Harley and Ivy loaded the supplies into the Batwing.

Bruce, Dick, Tim, Jason and Damian loaded their weapons into the plane, even their costumes, Damian stated that he had 'more places for weapons' on his costume, than on his civvies.

There was a crash from upstairs. "They're in the kitchen." Dick gasped.

Everyone climbed into the plane, Bruce was the last, he took a mental head count: _Dick, Jason, Barbara, Damian, Tim, Harley and Ivy._

"Everyone's here, sit down and let's go." He said as he closed the door. Dick turned the engine on, it roared loudly. Suddenly, the wooden planks holding the door, broke as the door from the kitchen burst open and the monsters stepped into the cave, roaring loudly.

The cave exit opened, and Dick flew the plane out, flying over Gotham, everyone looked down at the city, fires blazing in the distance. Each of them had spent most of their lives in Gotham, excluding Damian who had only been there a few years, but it was still home.

"Get some rest, everyone." Bruce said, as he made his way to the front and sat next to Dick. "Tell me if you get tired, I'll take over." Dick nodded.

Everyone sat on the metal benches in the back, curled under blankets.

Harley and Ivy curled up to each other, "This is crazy, huh Red." Harley said. "First we're B-Man's enemies and now we're escapin' with him an' the troops."

"Yes, it is." Ivy said. "You ok, Red?" Harley asked. "My plants, I abandoned them, my babies." Ivy said.

Barbara stared at the floor, her friends and family were monsters, literally. Her parents, both monsters, Helena and Dinah, both monsters, the other Birds, all monsters, but what could she do about it? Guilt filled her body as they flew away from Gotham.

Tim tried closing his eyes, but every time images of Stephanie, Harper and Cassandra turning into monsters crept into his mind. "I know what you're thinking about, Tim." Barbara said. "I feel guilty too."

"Stephanie, Harper, Cass, Kate, Alfred, all gone." Tim said. "Not if there is a way to save them." Barbara said.

 **Mall Mart, Reno, Nevada**

The gang hand been lying on top of the shelving units for five hours, the monsters had slowly begun to stomp out of the store. Daphne looked to her left and saw a door with **STOREROOM STAFF ONLY** written across the window. She nudged Fred and pointed to the door.

"Hey, Shaggy, Velma!" Fred whispered, they both looked at him and saw him pointing to the door. They carefully, quietly jump down. Fred and Daphne held their guns ready in case the monsters came back. Daphne opened the door, holding a small hand gun in her hand, on the other side of the door, was just a storeroom, shelf loaded with items, but the room was still intact. They entered the room and began to barricade the door in case the monsters came back. "You know," Shaggy said looking around, "There's probably more than one door."

"He's right, there's got to be a door leading outside." Velma said. "We need to make sure it's secure." She said.

"I'll go." Fred said, "I'll check if the door is clear."

"I'll rome." Scooby said "Thanks Scoob." Fred said. And the two walked through the storeroom, Daphne and Shaggy watched them go.

"So, what do we do?" Shaggy asked. "There's nothing we can do." Velma said. "Well, you can finish hacking into the Complex's network." Daphne said, Velma stood still and stared at Daphne, "What?". "Well, when I heard the monsters, I…. I dropped the laptop."

Daphne's eyes widened, she was about to start screaming at Velma again, "No! If the monsters hear you, they'll come back, and we don't know if the door is secure yet! I'll find another laptop." Velma said.

Daphne took a deep breath, "You know, I'm just going to look for Fred and Scooby." She said calmly, walking away, Velma and Shaggy didn't say a word.

Daphne finally caught up with Fred and Scooby. "Hey, everything alright?" She asked, "Yeah, we found this little girl, we need to protect her from the monsters." Fred said. Daphne looked down at a little girl between six and seven years old. She had dark blue hair, bright green eyes and she had several marks on her face. She's carrying a green backpack and is wearing a pink t-shirt and a purple skirt.

Suddenly, Scooby, Daphne and Fred jumped back, "Oh my god." Daphne said, trying not to panic. The little girl's head split open and three plant like heads sprouted out. Fred pushed Daphne to the side as one of the plant heads slithered towards them, it grabbed Fred. Scooby jumped around the heads snarling and barking, Daphne grabbed her gun and fired it at the plants, it killed it instantly. She and Scooby got splattered by the green slime, but Fred was covered in it.

"Thanks." Fred said. "Let's just say the area is clear and go back." Daphne said. "Ru-hu" Scooby said.

As they turned the corner and approached the others, Daphne noticed that Velma had found another laptop. "I heard the explosion. I'm surprised the monsters didn't hear it and haven't come back." Velma said, then she noticed that Fred was covered in the green slime, "What happened?" She asked, "Little girl, disguised as a plant monster." Fred said wiping the slime off his arm.

"How do we know that the monsters heard the noise and are on their way back?" Shaggy asked, "We need to find a way out of here and back to the van." He said. "Yeah, without being caught by the monsters." Daphne said. "Rey, rook rere." Scooby said.

Scooby was standing by a door. "Maybe we should check it out." Shaggy suggested. "It wouldn't hurt." Daphne said.

They made their way to the door, Shaggy twisted the handle and pushed the door open. There was nothing on the other side, only a set of stairs going up. Shaggy huffed, Daphne and Fred sighed in relief. "Let's go." Shaggy said and began to walk up the stairs, they followed him up, Scooby standing close to Shaggy.

At the top of the stairs was another door, Shaggy opened it a crack, the gang saw two monsters standing on the rooftop, with their backs facing them, Shaggy shut the door quietly.

"What?" Fred asked. "There are two of 'em out there." Shaggy said. "Did they see you?" Daphne asked. "No, their backs were facin' me." Shaggy said, they sighed with relief. Daphne looked at Velma and saw her clutching the laptop to her chest. "I've got an idea." She said, "What?" Velma asked.

Daphne took the laptop from Velma and pushed the door open, Shaggy and Fred slightly startled by her actions. Daphne threw the laptop and it flew between the two monsters who jumped after it before the three crashed to the ground below. The gang rushed onto the roof top, the monsters were dead, and the laptop shattered.

"Wow, that was good idea." Velma said. "Umm, thank you?" Daphne said, slightly surprised. Shaggy pushed open the door and they went outside. Sure, the roof was clear but there was a noise down below.

"Zoinks! Look!" Shaggy exclaimed. The monsters swarmed around the broken laptop and the two dead monsters. "The crash must've got their attention." Shaggy said.

"Well, that was a stupid idea." Velma said to Daphne, "You just said it was a good idea!" Daphne said. "I take it back!" Velma said. "Well, I noticed you didn't come up with anything!" Daphne snapped. "Quiet! We need t'get off this roof before they see us." Shaggy said. "We should wait until they leave." Velma said. "No, I'm done waiting all the time, we won't get anywhere." Daphne said. "Let's go back downstairs." Fred said.

They quietly walked to the door and ran back down the stairs. "Wait a minute." Velma said, they all stopped and looked at her, "Maybe…maybe Daphne's blunder with the laptop wasn't so stupid after all." Velma said. "Was that an insult or a compliment?" Daphne asked. "Both." Velma said. "If a simple smash can get them riled up, then we need a noise to get them into a frenzy." Velma said. "What?" Shaggy asked, "You want them to chase us?" He asked. "No, we need to distract them." Velma said, they were slightly intrigued.

"So, that spot over there is where the monsters are outside, right now. That's also where the van is. So, we make a noise, then once they're distracted we can jump in and get away from this place." Velma said. "That's actually not a bad idea." Fred said. "So, we need to find stuff, erm… explosives." Velma said. "Like fireworks, lighters and matches!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Yes!" Velma said. "Alright!" Shaggy exclaimed, "Let's go Scoob!"

"I'll go with Scooby." Velma said, "You stay here and brake up those pallets, we can use them."

"Alrighty." Shaggy said.

Velma and Scooby walked off down the left side of the store room and Daphne and Fred went down the right side. Daphne carried fire lighters and matches whilst Fred carried a box of fireworks. "Hey look." Daphne said walking towards a shelf. "What?" Fred asked, Daphne picked up a small, glass bottle. "What is it?" He asked. "Whiskey." Daphne said. "Whiskey?" Fred asked. "It's for the fire." Daphne said. "Right, ok." Fred said sarcastically, "Come on, let's get back." He said.

Shaggy poured the whiskey over the broken pieces of the pallets then put the fireworks and the fire lighters on top of them. Velma and Scooby returned with a bottle of gasoline and some string. "What's the gasoline for?" Shaggy asked. "For the fire, it'll make it stronger." Velma said. "Oh," Daphne began, "We brought whiskey." She said, Velma rolled her eyes.

Shaggy tied a piece of string around one of the broken pieces of a pallet and led the string to the storeroom door. "You four take cover, I'll light the match." Velma said.

Daphne, Fred Shaggy and Scooby left the storeroom and took cover behind the shelves, near the entrance. A few minutes later, Velma ran past them, clutching a laptop box in her arms. Seconds later, there was a huge explosion and the building shook.

Ignoring the ringing in their ears, they tried to listen out for the growling monsters. "We should probably get outta here!" Shaggy exclaimed, they ran to the door. As they ran outside, several monsters surrounded them. Daphne began to open fire on the monsters, Fred followed, and Shaggy pulled out the crowbar and picked up a metal pipe off the ground and began swinging at the monsters.

Velma ran to the van, Scooby followed her protectively. Velma turned the engine on, the others ran to the van, but several monsters surrounded Fred and Daphne. The gun Daphne used was jammed but Fred's continued to open fire.

Shaggy tried fighting the monsters off. Daphne started using the gun handle to beat them, one of them grabbed Daphne's gun and tried pulling it out of her hand, she held it tightly refusing to let go. Fred went to kick one of them away from her, it let go of her gun and grabbed Fred's leg, twisted it and pinned him down.

"FRED!" Daphne screamed, "Daph!" Shaggy shouted, he threw the metal pipe to her, she caught it and started beating the monster just as it moved its sharp teeth to Fred's neck. Shaggy helped Daphne lift Fred up, Scooby jumped out of the van and began attacking the monsters giving Daphne and Shaggy time to get Fred into the van.

"Scoob!" Shaggy shouted, but Scooby took off and the monsters followed him. "Scooby!" Shaggy exclaimed and went to jump out of the van, but Daphne grabbed his arm, "No!" She exclaimed as Velma started to drive away from the mall.


	5. Chapter 5

**5**

Fred laid on the metal bed in the back of the van, cringing in pain, Daphne sat beside him, trying to calm him and soothe his pain. "Daph, are the monsters gone?" He winced, "Yeah, they're gone." Daphne said calmly. "Is everyone ok?" He winced. "Yes." She said.

Shaggy sat on his other side with his face in his hands. "We left Scooby behind." He said every few minutes and Daphne looked up at him every time. "How's Fred, Daphne?" Velma asked. "Still in pain." Daphne said, "Shaggy, take over, I have no idea how to drive this thing!" Velma said, Shaggy climbed into the front seat.

"What are you doing?" Daphne asked as Velma climbed into the back. "Let me look at him." Velma said, "No!" Daphne snapped.

"Daphne. Please." Velma begged. "No!" She exclaimed. "Daphne, it could be really bad, he could get an infection and die!" Velma shouted.

Daphne sighed, "Fine." She said sharply and sat on Fred's other side.

Velma started examining Fred's leg. After a few minutes, she stopped and sighed. "It's really broken, Fred." She said, "The van doesn't have the proper equipment, we need a hospital."

Daphne ran her hand through her hair and signed, "Shaggy, can you pull over at a hospital?" She asked, "Sure thing, Daph." He replied. "Thanks." She said.

"How do you feel, Fred?" Daphne asked. He didn't respond. "Freddy?" She asked again, he still didn't respond. Daphne ran to his side. "Fred?" She asked once more, shaking him. "He's unconscious, we need to get him to a hospital!" Velma said. "There's one comin' up." Shaggy called.

Shaggy pulled over and climbed into the back to help Daphne, they pulled him up. Fred started to stir, "…Daph…" He asked. "It's ok." She said, relieved he regained consciousness.

Velma opened the backdoors and Daphne and Shaggy lowered Fred out of the van. "What's that?" Shaggy asked, "Did you hear that noise?" He asked. Daphne and Velma listened for the sound Shaggy heard, something was moving in the bushes. Velma grabbed a gun from the back and pointed it to the direction the sound was coming from, but her hands were shaking so much.

"Wait is that…" Daphne paused. Out from the bushes, Scooby Doo appeared.

"Scooby!" Shaggy exclaimed. "How did you find us?" Daphne asked. "Roggles." Scooby said. "Oh, I forgot! Scooby's googles can track my glasses!" Velma exclaimed. "We'd better get Fredster into the hospital." Shaggy said.

Daphne and Shaggy walked Fred up the steps to the hospital. "How is he?" Velma asked, Daphne sighed, "He just lost consciousness again." She said. "Better hurry." Shaggy said. They walked him into the hospital, through the lobby and laid him down on the first bed they saw.

"Ok, so, his leg is broken, so it needs to be pushed back into place." Velma said. "What?" Shaggy exclaimed. "Daphne, Shaggy, which of you two is the strongest?" Velma asked. "Her! Not me, no, no, no, no! I'm not doing it! I can't, no way!" Shaggy shouted. "I'll do it!" Daphne said.

"…Daph…Daph… where are we?" Fred groaned. "At the hospital, Freddy, you'll be fine." Daphne replied.

"Ok, so if you two are going to play doctor, Scoob and I will be keeping guard." Shaggy said before hastily running from the lobby.

"Ok, on three." Velma began, Daphne nodded and put her hands around Fred's leg, "One..tw-"

 **SNAP**

Fred screamed. "Three." Velma said, sarcastically, Daphne rolled her eyes.

"Can we come back in now?" Shaggy asked from outside. "Yes, it's fine!" Velma shouted, Shaggy and Scooby slowly stepped back into the room.

 **EEEEYAHHHHHHH!**

"Zoinks! Like what was that?!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Sounds like we're not alone in this hospital." Velma said.

"Is it a monster?" Fred asked, "No. It sounded like…like a person." Daphne replied. "We should go find them." She said. "No!" Fred said firmly, "What if it is a monster, Daph?"

"Fred-", Daphne began, "No! I'm not letting you go!" He exclaimed.

"We'll go with her." Shaggy said. "Right." Scooby replied. "Fine." Fred said reluctantly, "But if you're not back in the van in fifteen minutes then I'm co-"

"Go without us." Daphne said, "What!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Come on, let's go." Daphne said, and Shaggy and Scooby followed her out of the lobby and down the corridor.

"Where exactly are we going?" Shaggy asked. "To wherever that person is." Daphne replied.

"Are you sure it's a person?" Shaggy asked, "What if it's just another beastie?" He asked.

"We thought everyone was transformed by the plague, but we may have misjudged that." Daphne said. "What?" Shaggy asked. "Back at Mall Mart, Velma and I found a body, a human body." She said. "Human? How?" Shaggy asked.

"I don't know but Velma pulled something out of it, uhhh…it looked like a gold bolt, but it was in his chest." Daphne replied, "She didn't have a chance to explain but I feel like there's a connection between the bolt and that the person hadn't mutated." Daphne said. "Like what?" Shaggy asked. "I don't kn-"

 **EEEYAHHHHHH!**

A terrifying scream cut her off, "Let's go!" Daphne exclaimed and the three ran in the direction of the scream, they stopped at a door, Daphne pushed it open.

They stood horror struck in the room, the walls were blood splattered, mutilated bodies and puddles of blood covered the floor.

"Holy shit!" Daphne exclaimed. "It's like a slaughterhouse!" Shaggy said. "Daph, we gotta get out of here! Seriously!" Shaggy shouted.

They suddenly heard whimpering, Daphne's eyes shot up to another door at the other end of the room. "No." Daphne said shaking her head. She took one step forward and unknowingly stepped into a bloody puddle, she cringed. "Come on, Shaggy." She said, her voice shaky.

She held her gun tightly as she pushed open the door.

"Oh my god." Daphne breathed. She and Shaggy both turned pale, Scooby hid behind Shaggy's legs.

"I'm terribly sorry, but no one is admitted without an appointment."

Daphne and Shaggy stood shaking, a man was lying in a hospital bed, his eyes wide with fear. Tubes covered his body, needles were sticking out of his stomach and he was strapped to the hospital bed. He had blood bags injected into him, and a pipe up his nose.

Standing next to him was a tall, skinny, blue monster wearing a surgeon's uniform, he was carrying a red bag filled with needles and syringes. He had knives and scissors sticking out of his left arm. His fingertips were covered in blood and his coat was blood splattered.

Shaggy and Scooby were staring from the man to the monster, Daphne was paralysed with fear and couldn't take her eyes off the terrified man.

"Help me." He whimpered. Daphne looked at the monster, then held her gun up. "Young lady, please put that gun down. This is a hospital." The monster asked politely.

"We're not letting you torture another helpless person!" Daphne exclaimed pointing the gun at the monster. "You have to understand, it sometimes requires pain to heal. Agony is often the swiftest road to bliss and death can be the doorway to eternal life." The monster said, pulling knife from his arm.

"He's out of his mind!" Shaggy exclaimed. "I think that's already been well established!" Daphne replied.

The monster turned to the man, "Now lie still dear boy, let the surgery begin."

"…begin?" Whimpered the man.

"He thinks he's actually a doctor." Daphne whispered to Shaggy. "Oh yes, everything we've done 'til now was just preparation." The monster said, inching the knife closer to the man's neck.

Daphne pulled the trigger, a bullet shot into the monster's head. It collapsed to the ground, dead.

"Kill me! Kill-" The man's screams were cut off by the hospital shaking. "Daphne!" Shaggy screamed. "Run!" Shouted the man, "Go!"

Shaggy grabbed Daphne's arm and dragged her out of the hospital room. The hospital walls start crumbling around them. "Here!" Shaggy shouted pointing at a window. "Jump, Scoob!" Shaggy exclaimed, Scooby looked out the window and jumped. "Come on." Shaggy and Daphne jumped out the window. They were around the back of the hospital.

They hastily walked away when it suddenly blew up. "Let's go!" Shaggy exclaimed, he and Daphne ran around the corner, and saw Fred, who was now on crutches, and Velma standing outside the van.

"Daphne!" Fred exclaimed. "What happened? I thought you were all still inside!" He exclaimed. "Oh my god! It was horrible!" Shaggy exclaimed. "We went into one of the rooms, it was covered in blood and bodies, there was a man in another room, he was being operated on, but he was still awake. A monster was operating on him and-"

"What?" Fred asked cutting Shaggy off, "A monster?" He asked.

"Yes, he seemed to think he was a real doctor!" Shaggy exclaimed. "When I shot him, the hospital started shaking." Daphne said. "You shot the doctor?" Fred asked. "Yes. It just dropped dead, the hospital started shaking." Daphne said.

"What if there were others in there?" She asked. "Come on, let's go." Fred said, and they climbed into the van.

 **Batwing, over Colorado**

"Are there yet?" Damian yawned. "No." Bruce said. The others were still sleeping. "How long will it take to get there, Father?" Damian asked. "A few more hours." Bruce replied, flying the Batwing as Dick began to fall asleep and was now sleeping in the front seat next to Bruce.

"Have the suspects moved from Nevada?" Damian asked. Bruce looked to the computer screen, the computer was still directing them to Nevada. "No, but they're no longer in Reno, they're heading towards Gardnerville." Bruce said. "But not for long, right Father?" Damian asked. Bruce stayed silent. "What are you going to do when you find them?" Damian asked.

"Like I said back at the Batcave, I'm going to get answers from them." Bruce said. "How?" Damian asked. "What's with all the questions?" Bruce snapped.

"I just want to know what you have planned, that's all Father!" Damian exclaimed, growing agitated. Bruce sighed, "I'm sorry Damian, I didn't mean to snap."

"I understand, Father." Damian said. "You lost Selina, Stephanie, Kate, Cassandra, Alfred and mother."

"And Bette and Elizabeth and everyone else in Gotham City and the planet." Bruce said, "I'm going to get answers from them and we're going to fix this mess!" Bruce felt the tears building up in his eyes.

"You're shouting again father." Damian said. Dick began to stir. "Bruce?" He asked as he woke to Bruce's shouting. "Is everything alright?" He asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry I woke you Dick." Bruce apologised. "Want me to take over?" Jason asked, who had also woken. "No, besides, we're nearly there." Bruce said.

"Damian, why don't you sit back here with Jason and Tim?" Dick asked as he stood up off the floor. Damian stubbornly sat in between Jason and Tim.

"Bruce is everything alright?" Dick asked again. "Yes." Bruce said, "I'm alright?"

"Are you sure?" Dick asked. "I remember you being this stubborn after Jason died." Dick said. Bruce sighed. "This happened so quickly Dick." Bruce began. "Cassandra, Stephanie, Kate…Alfred…Selina." He sighed, "They didn't deserve this." Bruce said. "I'm going to find answers for this, like I did for my parents." Bruce said.

Dick nodded, "I agree."

 **A random house in a random street, Gardnerville, Nevada**

Fred sat in an armchair in the living room, he leg was in a cast. He watched Shaggy and Scooby play chess. "All the useful things you could have found in this house, and you find a chess board?" Fred asked. "Hey, dude I'm good at chess!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Oh, I can see that," Fred began, "But I didn't know dogs could play chess." He watched Scooby pick a knight up in his mouth and move it across the board.

"He's a _smart dog_." Shaggy said. Everyone was lucky enough to take a shower, though they had put their dirty clothes back on. Daphne stepped down the stairs with her hair wet, "You know, even though I had shower, I still feel disgusting in these clothes." She said. "How do you think I feel? I had to take a bath because of this cast." Fred said. "You should have done what I did, showered in my clothes." Shaggy said, Daphne and Fred stared at him, "What?" He asked. "I wondered why there was so much dirt in the bathtub." Daphne said.

"You wouldn't believe how much dirt and blood came off my clothes." Shaggy said. "Ruck!" Scooby exclaimed.

"Where's Velma?" Fred asked. "In one of the bedrooms playing with the laptop. She's still trying to get into the complex's system." Daphne said, sitting on one of the chairs.

"Y'think she can get in t'it?" Shaggy asked, Daphne shrugged. "Let's hope she can." Fred said.

Upstairs in the en suit bedroom, Velma sat on the bed with the laptop, finally she had hacked into the complex's system and was now searching for the documents about the nanites.

 **Project Elysium: Classified Database**

 **Password Accepted**

 **Access Granted**

"Finally." She muttered to herself. As she read the document, she wished she hadn't opened it. She ran to the bathroom and threw up. "Those bastards." She mumbled, "Those arrogant, self-righteous, bastards!" She exclaimed, pounding her fists on the tiled floor.

"Hey, Velma!" Shaggy called, "I'm makin' a ham and' cheese sandwich, you want one?"

She threw up again, "No!" She called. "Oh, it's ok." Shaggy called, "The cheese is green anyway."

Velma threw up once more.

 **Batwing, in Canyonlands Field, Utah**

"I can't believe we lost them!" Damian exclaimed. "We had to stop for fuel, Damian. Otherwise the batwing would have crashed in Colorado and we'd all be dead!" Tim exclaimed. "Did nobody think to fuel up before we left?" Damian asked. "Oh yeah because we had time to fuel up before those monsters stormed the Batcave and tried to kill us!" Tim snapped sarcastically.

"Alright, that's enough." Barbara said. "Tim, go and help the others with the fuel."

Tim jumped out of the Batwing and ran into the aircraft hangar, Ivy was walking around the grounds. "Damian, I know this is hard, but you can't take it out on Tim." Babrara said, Damian rolled his eyes and sat on the box filled with his Robin weapons.

"Aside from everything that has happened the last few days, what else is bothering you, Damian?" She said as she sat next to the young boy. "Nothing." Damian said.

"Alright." Barbara said, he sat quietly next to Damian.

"Father thinks that there is a way to _restore the human race_." Damian began. "But there isn't." Damian said. "How do you know that?" Barbara asked. "It's the apocalypse. The human race has been turned into destructive monsters." Damian said. "Apocalypse means end of the world by the way.

"Thank you for clearing that up." Barbara said, sarcastically. "Damian, I've known Bruce for a few years, if he has hope that there is a way to save the world, then he'll find it." Barbara said. "Surely, you should know that by now."

"Do you think this'll be enough Bruce?" Jason asked, and he wheeled a trolley loaded with fuel canisters to the batwing. "Yes, though the Batwing is a lot more technologically advanced than the average aircraft, it still takes the same fuel." Bruce said.

"So, who's flying next?" Jason asked, "I call dibs!"

"Aww, no I wanna go!" Harley exclaimed.

"No!" Dick and Barbara exclaimed. "We'll end up in Aruba or somewhere exotic." Dick said. Jason cleared his throat, "Richard, I don't know if you've noticed, but there are zombies everywhere, I don't think Aruba is a safe place do chill, do you?"

"Unless Harley's flying then we'll ending nose diving the Atlantic." Jason said. "Hey!" Harley exclaimed.

"We need to let the engine rest before we go anywhere." Bruce said. "How long for?" Jason asked. "A couple of hours, we still have a few more hours to go before we get to Nevada." Bruce said.

"How do we even know they're still _in_ Nevada?" Tim asked, "With the engine off, we won't be able to use the computer."

"Where else can they go that isn't swarming with monsters?" Jason asked. "If they move out of Nevada, we'll catch up to them." Bruce said, "But we must let the engine rest."

Bruce, Dick and Jason refuelled the Batwing when returned. As there were no signs of the monsters, Bruce suggested that everyone stretched their legs. Damian, Tim, Barbara and Dick walked around the grounds. Ivy stood near the grassy area, staring at the grass. She looked around her, it was all just grass. "Needs something." She said, as she places her hand on the grass and a small patch of flowers quickly grew.

Jason and Harley sat in the doorway of the Batwing, both smoking cigarettes. "For God sake Jason!" Bruce exclaimed. "You told me you stopped!" Jason sighed, "It's the apocalypse old man, loosen up." He handed Bruce a cigarette, and the lighter. "Jason," Bruce began. "Come on Brucie, _YOLO_." Harley said, as Jason pushed the cigarette to Bruce. "You know you want to."

Bruce sighed, and took the cigarette from Jason and lit it. "Atta boy!" Jason exclaimed.

"Don't tell Damian." Bruce said, Jason winked, "I'll keep your dirty secret." Jason said.

"Next you're going to tell me there's alcohol in the plane." Bruce said. Jason pulled out a small bottle of whiskey from his pocket, Bruce rolled his eyes.

"Do you really think that there's a _cure_ to this thing?" Tim asked, Dick shrugged. "I don't know." Barbara said. "Father seems to think there is." Damian said. "Maybe there is, maybe there isn't." Dick said, "But until we find these people, we will never know." Barbara finished.

"I was just going to say that." Dick said. "But I beat you to it." Barbara replied, poking Dick's nose, they both giggled. "Ugh." Damian moaned, "Even in the middle of an apocalypse you two are still… _you_."

"Gee thanks, Damian." Dick said. They started to walk back towards the Batwing.

Tim gasped. "What is it, Timmy?" Dick asked. "Bruce, Harley and Jason, smoking!" Tim exclaimed, loud enough for Bruce to hear. Bruce quickly dropped the cigarette and stomped on it. "Father?" Damian asked, "Were you smoking."

"No," Bruce replied.

"He wasn't, he was holdin' it fer me!" Harley exclaimed, she took Jason's cigarette out of his mouth, "See, two in one!" Harley exclaimed as she put both cigarettes into her mouth. "I'm a smokin' walrus!"

"Did we have to bring her?" Damian asked. "Yes." Bruce replied.


	6. Chapter 6

**6**

 **Hampton, Oregon**

"So, considering Shaggy and Scooby ate everything we stocked up, we'll need more supplies." Velma said. "Awesome!" Shaggy exclaimed.

The gang gathered the supplies they needed, and Shaggy jumped into the Mystery Machine and turned the engine on, the sun was slowing setting, and everyone climbed into the van and continued with their journey towards Washington.

"Guys." Shaggy said. They sky dark and he was becoming tired. "Can we stop for the night, I'm like so tired!" He exclaimed. "I'm tired too." Daphne said. "So am I." Fred said, Scooby yawned. "I think there's a motel coming up." Velma said as she peered through the windscreen.

Shaggy pulled over at the motel and everyone quietly climbed out of the van. "Since we haven't seen a monster enterin' this town," Shaggy began. "Or this state." Daphne said. "I think we should be good for t'night."

"Come on, let's get some sleep." Fred said. Velma clutched the laptop close to her chest as she entered the motel room. "Daph, Velma, you two take the beds, Shaggy and I will sleep on the armchairs." Fred said.

Everyone fell asleep straight away, apart from Velma who sat cross-legged on the bed staring at the laptop. Daphne laid on her side with her back to Velma. Velma kept looking to see if Daphne was awake.

"I need to sort this out myself." She mumbled. She grabbed a piece of paper from the sticky pad on the bedside table and a pen. The she tip-toed out of the room and snuck past Fred and Shaggy, who were both fast asleep. She quietly opened the door but was surprised to see Scooby standing outside.

"Relma?" He asked. "Oh, I'm just getting some air." Velma said. "Rorried rabout rou." Scooby said. "Oh, don't worry about me Scooby, I think I'm just coming down with a cold." She smiffed.

"Go inside and get some rest Scooby." She said. "Night." Scooby said. "Goodnight Scooby." Velma said. Scooby entered the motel room, when the door closed, she ran.

Past the Mystery Machine and she crawled under the wire fence at the back of the motel and ran away.

 **Canyonlands Field, Utah**

"Is everyone ready?" Bruce asked as he climbed into the pilot seat of the Batwing. "Yeah, we're all here Bruce." Tim said.

Bruce turned the engine on, Tim immediately looked at the computer, which had tracked the human life to Oregon. "They've moved out of Nevada." Tim said. "They're in Oregon."

"Oregon, it is." Bruce said.

"What's the matter Babs?" Dick asked. "Oh, I keep thinking about Dinah and Helena. And my dad." Barbara sighed. "I keep thinking about Cass, Kate and Alfred." Dick said. "Kate would have loved to come along and help figure this mess out."

"Don't worry Babs, once we find these people, we'll figure it all out." Dick reassured.

"Hey, I gotta question for you vigilantes." Harley said. "When we get ta Oregon, are ya gonna put on ya vigilante costumes or run around in ya normal people clothes?"

"I don't know about them, but I'm going to wear mine." Damian said. "Isn't that why we brought them?" Tim asked. "Because they can carry more weapons than our 'normal people clothes'."

"I have a bra with a strap for my knife." Harley said. "What about you B-Man?" Harley asked. "You gonna wear your Batman clothes?" Bruce ignored her. "Take that as a maybe." Jason said.

"How long until we get there, Father?" Damian asked. "You're going to do this again are you Damian?" Bruce asked. "I just want to know when to put on my costume." Damian snapped.

"I'll tell you when we're close." Bruce said.

 **Four miles from the Motel in Oregon**

Shaggy and Scooby wondered through a deserted street. "Have you found any trace of Velma yet, Scooby." Shaggy asked. "R'll find her." Scooby said. "Whadda you mean?" Shaggy asked. "We've been wallkin' for miles and found no sign of her."

"Rasses." Scooby said. "What?" Shaggy asked. "Relma's rasses." Scooby repeated. "What the heck are you- oh I know!" Shaggy exclaimed. "The GPS in your in your headset is keyed into Velma's _glasses_!"

"Rat's right!" Scooby exclaimed. "I'm sorry Scooby, you've been trying t'say that this whole time" Shaggy said. "Ruh-huh." Scooby replied.

"Ok, Scoob, find the doc." Shaggy said.

 **The Motel, Oregon**

The next morning, when the gang woke up, Velma was gone. Daphne found the sticky note stuck to the laptop screen reading: _'I'm Sorry'_ , and Project Elysium's files open on the screen.

Shaggy and Scooby volunteered to go looking for Velma, whilst Fred and Daphne stayed at the motel to go through the files.

Daphne sat on the curb outside the motel, the laptop on her legs, she read through the documents on the computer and Fred stood next to her, on his crutches. "I still think I should have gone with them." Fred said.

"You're on crutches." Daphne said, "You need to stay here."

"They could have taken the van." Fred said. "And if the monsters attack us how are we supposed to get away?" She said, not paying much interest in what he was saying, and focusing more on the files. "Then _you_ should have gone with them." Fred said.

"Me?" She asked. "Yeah, you're the closest thing we've got to leader, or a commander-in-chief, our light, our-"  
"You're not going to propose to me again are you?" She asked. "Maybe." Fred said.

"So, what have you found in those documents?" Fred asked. "Based on what I've read so far, Dinkley is the one responsible for this nightmare." Daphne said. Fred sighed, "I can't believe it."

"Velma designed the nanites, she's the architect of Project Elysium." Daphne said.

"Daphne, we both know that this monster plague wasn't her intention!" Fred exclaimed. "She just wanted to make the world a better place."

"She took the fate of the world into her own hands." Daphne said. "For our own good!" Fred exclaimed. "Look at how her grand plan turned out!" Daphne exclaimed. "She and the Four didn't improve the state of the world at all!"

"The reason we're here is because Velma asked us to help her expose the Complex's plan, she had no idea what the Four were up to!" Fred exclaimed. "Velma didn't want us turned into a planet of obedient sheep, she wanted to stop the Four-"

"The Five, actually." Daphne interrupted. "Velma was a part of it from the beginning." Daphne said. "Daph, I know you don't like her that much but-" Fred began.

"They Four are also Velma's brothers." Daphne said, bluntly. Fred sighed, "Well…maybe they forced her to help them." Fred said. "You really believe that?" Daphne asked, as she stood up. "She lied to us Fred! She lied from the very beginning."

"If I was in her shoes, I'd have lied too." Fred said. "What?" Daphne asked. "Right or wrong: Velma tried to do something good, but her brothers interfered with it and turned humanity into killer monsters." Fred said. "If I'd have been related to someone like that, I'd have lied too."

Daphne glared into his eyes, "What are you trying to say?" She asked. "Nothing." He sighed. "I'm just saying that I don't think Velma had much of a choice but to lie." Fred said. "If you weren't so stubborn with her maybe she would have told us the truth!" Fred exclaimed.

"Are you saying this is my fault?" She asked, as she sat on the steps. "No. I'm just saying, maybe you shouldn't have been so suspicious with her." Fred said.

Fred sighed, there was a moment of tense silence.

"So, what else have you found?" He asked. "Um… the last report Velma was reading states that the nanites are run by an artificial intelligence." Daphne said. "So, they can think?" Fred asked. "Yes, but not like us, but they _can_ think. Also, some of the nanites were programmed to give some mutated humans abilities, such as accelerated growth and flight. But this is written under the potential dangers of the program."

Fred sighed. "Great, flying monsters."

"We need to find Velma, so she can sort through this, I don't think she's read past this." Daphne said.

 **BRR-ING BRR-ING**

"Is that a phone ringing?" Fred asked. "Sure is. But do we answer it?" Daphne asked.

Fred sighed, "What's the worst that can happen? A monster jump through cable?" He asked, as he picked up the phone.

"Shaggy?" Fred asked. "How did you get hold of a phone? Oh, gross."

Daphne listened to Fred as she tried reading through the documents.

"What are you calling about?" Fred asked. "Wait, Scooby can do what?" Fred asked. Daphne turned around and saw a confused looked on Fred's face. "Sure, we can pick you up, but stay put and try not to get into any trouble." Fred said. "Ok. No, well if you hadn't eaten all of it you wouldn't be so hungry."

Daphne smirked.

"Ok, bye." Fred put the phone down. "I'll drive." Daphne said as she put the laptop into the mystery machine. "Where are they?" She asked. "Shaggy said come left out of here and keep following the road until we see them." Fred said. "Ok." Daphne said.

"Did they find Velma?" Daphne asked. "No, but the GPS in Scooby's headset is linked to Velma's goggles." Fred said. "Really?" Daphne asked.

As they were driving to get Shaggy and Scooby, Fred noticed how quiet the roads were, they hadn't seen a monster since entering Oregon. "I don't like this." Fred said.

"Can you be a little bit more specific Freddy?" Daphne asked. "You've noticed how quiet everything is, we haven't encountered any monsters since Nevada. If they entire human race has been mutated, then where is everyone" Fred said.

"That's not our problem right now, Fred." Daphne said. "But I hope they're far away from us."

"I think it's weird." Fred said. "What, would you rather they were chasing us?" Daphne asked. "No." Fred said. "Then maybe you'd like it if we found Velma torn to pieces in the middle of the road?" Daphne asked, sarcastically. Fred chuckled. "What?" Daphne asked.

"Admit it Daph, you care about her." He said. Daphen scoffed, "What, no I don't!"

"You're worried about her." Fred said. "No, I'm worried that if we don't find her, we won't find out how to stop this plague!" Daphne exclaimed. Fred chuckled again, "So, you're not going to admit that Velma actually means something to you?" Fred asked.

"No." Daphne said. "She means nothing to me."

"Right, keep telling yourself that, Daph." Fred said.

"Scooby, what's that noise?" Shaggy asked. "Rhat noise?" Scooby asked. There was a loud growl, followed by a roar. "Rhat." Scooby said, as he looked to the distance.

There were two great big monsters, one green and one brown, stomping across the deserted land, it looked like they were chasing each other. Shaggy crouched down, "Quiet Scoob, maybe they won't hear us." Shaggy whispered. But the monsters began running, and the ground started shaking. "Shit." Shaggy whispered.

"Relma." Scooby said. "What?" Shaggy whispered. "Scoob keep your voice down."

"Relma, rover rhere." Scooby said. Shaggy looked up and saw a green and blue Volkswagen being chased by the monsters. "Velma's in there?" Shaggy asked. "Reah!" Scooby exclaimed. "Oh, shit!" Shaggy exclaimed.

Shaggy and Scooby felt helpless, there was nothing they could do, the gun Shaggy carried wouldn't do any good to help Velma. What if a bullet hit Velma and not the monsters? Then they'd get her for sure. Velma and the monsters came closer and closer to them, Shaggy and Scooby took a step back.

Suddenly, there was a loud blast behind them and the brown monster, which was following the green, blew up, it's goo splattered all over the ground. The green monster paid no attention and continued chasing Velma.

Shaggy turned around and saw Daphne standing behind him, holding a smoking gun. Daphne pulled the trigger again and the green monster blew up, again it's goo covering the ground around it.

The Volkswagen stopped, Velma jumped out. Shaggy and Scooby ran towards her. Daphne stood next to the Mystery Machine. "Come on, Doc, ya can't escape us that easily." Shaggy joked. "Why are you saving me?" Velma asked. "This is all my fault!" Velma exclaimed. Daphne stepped towards them.

"Where's Fred?" Velma asked. "In the van, he can't exactly walk." Daphne said. "I presume you read the documents on the laptop." Velma said. "Yes." Daphne said. "And?" Velma asked. "And I know you designed the nanites." Daphne said.

"You know I designed the nanites that destroyed the world, you mean." Velma said. "I unleashed hell."

"What are you going to do about it?" Daphne asked. Shaggy and Scooby looked from Daphne to Velma, they couldn't tell if Daphne was pissed off or what.

"This isn't a rescue is it?" Velma asked, "You all came to punish me for what I've done?" Velma asked.

"No." Daphne said. Shaggy's eyes widened. "What?" Velma asked. Daphne sighed, "I'm sorry." She said. Velma stared at her, confused, Shaggy and Scooby exchanged looks. "It wasn't entirely your fault, I'm sorry." Daphne said. "Don't run off again!" She exclaimed.

"Daphne, are you trying to say that _you_ care about _me_?" Velma asked. Daphne sighed, "Yes ok, I care about you, alright!" Daphne exclaimed. Velma wrapped her arms around Daphne. "Thank you." Velma said. "You can hug me back you know." Velma said. "Umm…ok." Daphne said, she wrapped her arms around Velma.

"What's happening?" Shaggy asked. "Ok, you can let go now." Daphne said.

"Can anyone else hear that?" Velma asked. There was a load roaring noise. "Ronster?" Scooby asked. "I don't think so." Velma said. "It sounds like an engine." Daphne said, but it was coming from above them. There was smoke in the sky too. "Like, look out!" Shaggy exclaimed, as a black air craft fell from the sky, the gang ran back to the Mystery Machine, where Fred was watching from the passenger seat.

The air craft crashed to the ground and caught fire. "It doesn't look like a plane." Daphne said. "Please don't say they're aliens!" Shaggy exclaimed.

"No, I don't think so." Daphne said as she stepped closer. "That's Bruce Wayne." She said.

Bruce crawled out the crashed plane, he pulled Jason out of the burning plane. Barbara, Tim, Harley and Ivy crawled out whilst Jason pulled an injured Damian out from the plane.

"What's going on?" Shaggy asked. "I have no idea." Velma said.

"Bruce!" Jason exclaimed. "There they are!" He pointed towards the gang, Bruce looked up to them.

"Oh shit." Daphne said.

Bruce and walked towards the gang. "Stay where you are." He said. "Like, whadda you want with us?" Shaggy asked.

"I want to ask you some questions about all that's happened." Bruce began. "What about it?" Daphne asked. "I want to know how it happened. I figured you might have something to do with it." Bruce said. "I think I can help with that." Velma said.

"My brothers and I created the virus." Velma said. "You?" Bruce asked. "Yes." Velma said. "But I can explain."

"A few years after I finished college, my brothers, who I called the Four, contacted me and asked to help them create something that would change the world. At the time they met with me, the Complex was already being built. They said the Complex would serve to create a greater good." Velma asked. "And they asked me to design a nano-virus. The virus would weed out man's need for violence and aggression and make the world a better place. I didn't expect them to tamper with my design."

Bruce sighed. "I didn't know they had tampered with it until after I released the nanites and they were activated." Velma said.

"So, what are you going to do about this?" Bruce asked. "We're going to find the Four and get them to fix this mess." Velma said.

"So, are we the only survivors?" Tim asked. "There might be a few more people, scattered across the globe, there are other Complex's scattered globally, there maybe a small handful of survivors." Velma said.

"We are coming with you." Bruce said. "Is that Harley Quinn?" Shaggy asked. "Yes." Jason said.

Everyone climbed into the van. Daphne drove, and Fred sat in the front seat, Scooby, Shaggy and Velma sat in the back with the others, Damian injured his arm in the crash so Velma put it in a sling.

"I'm Bruce by the way." Bruce began, "This is Dick, Jason, Damian, Barbara, Tim, Harley and Ivy."

"I'm Shaggy, this is Scooby Doo and Velma, and the two in the front are Fred and Daphne. Daph's our fearless leader." Shaggy said, proudly.

"Are they all your kids?" Shaggy asked. "No, just me." Damian said, "Ow!" He exclaimed as Jason elbowed him. "Just the boys, Barbara is like my daughter." Bruce said. Shaggy asked. "An' Ivy an' I are criminals!" Harley exclaimed, smiling.

"Riminals?" Scooby asked. Everyone, but Shaggy and Velma, gasped. "That dog can talk?" Dick asked. "Yes, only because of his implants." Shaggy said. "Implants?" Bruce asked. "Scooby here is part of the smart-dog program back at the Complex. The implants give him the ability t'talk and his goggles have a GPS which tracks Velma's location." Shaggy said. "So, he wasn't born with this incredible ability?" Tim asked. "No." Shaggy said.

"So, how did you survive?" Velma asked. "How did _you_ survive?" Bruce asked. "We were in the Complex's safe zone." Velma said. "We were in the Batcave." Jason said. "Batcave?" Shaggy asked. "Holy shit, you're Batman!" He exclaimed.

Bruce glared at Jason, "Sorry Bruce, but considering the state of the world, I don't think the exposure of our identities are a major issue." Jason said.

"So, where is it we're going?" Dick asked. "Washington, the oldest of the Four, lives in one of the towers." Velma said.

"This is weird, huh Daph?" Fred asked. "Sure is, Freddy, one minute we're searching for Velma and now we're driving to Washington with a billionaire in our van." Daphne said.

"Is there something bothering you?" He asked, she shook her head. "You would tell me if there was?" He asked. "Yes." She said.

 **Seattle, Washington**

"So, your brother lives there?" Dick asked as the gang stood outside the Mystery Machine, staring at the Dinkley Tower in the distance. "Yes, it's where my father worked and now my brother works and lives here." Velma said.

"Velma, Shaggy and I are going to go up to find her brother." Daphne said. "Fred, stay with the van."

"What?" He asked. "You're injured. Stay with the van, you'll slow us down." Daphne said. "You too, Damian." Bruce said. "Damn it." Damian mumbled.

"Dick and I will go with you." Bruce said. "The rest of you, stay here."

"Ahh geez B-Man, you take all the fun outta life!" Harley cried. "Stay here." Bruce said firmly.

"What the hell is that?" Shaggy exclaimed as they approached, Dinkley Tower. There were monsters stuck to the walls. "We need to get closer." Velma said. "No, we don't!" Shaggy exclaimed. "It looks like a shrine." Daphne said. "The monsters or the people who created the monsters?" Dick asked, "No offence, Velma."

"None taken." Velma said. "You're not going to go dissecting more bodies, are you?" Daphne asked. "Again?" Dick asked. "Yep, she does that." Shaggy said. "It's an _investigation_ , Daphne." Velma said. "It's disgusting, Velma!" Daphne said.

"The bodies are still warm, this happened recently." Velma said, as she put her bare hand onto one of the monster bodies. "And how does that disgusting information help us?" Daphne asked. "Well, it means we're not alone in this city." Velma said.

"Alright, back t'the Mystery Machine it is, cowards and women first." Shaggy said. "We can't turn back now!" Velma exclaimed. "We've come this far, and most importantly Shaggy, you're _not_ a coward." Daphne said.

"Really?" Shaggy asked. "I must agree." Velma said. "There's a fifty-fifty chance that there's a horde of bloodthirsty monsters waiting on the other side of that door, not that I'm scared." Daphne said. "I'll keep that in mind." Velma said. "Now, let's go."

Daphne pushed open the glass door. "Oh, see, no monsters in here." Daphne said, relived. "Not, yet." Velma said. "If your brother is alive, he should have some kinda security system to keep them monsters out." Shaggy said. "I'm sure it's a very sophisticated security system." Velma said. "But I don't hear any alarms." Shaggy said. "Knowing my brother, it's a silent alarm, and he's probably watching us right now." Velma said. "Creeper." Daphne muttered.

"What's his name?" Shaggy asked. "Rufus." Velma said. Daphne scoffed. "What kinda name is that?" Shaggy asked. "Sounds like an asshole. No offence." Daphne said.

"Believe me, I do not take offence to that. He is an…I will not repeat that you said." Velma said. "Asshole." Daphne said. "Stop it." Velma said, Daphne laughed.

"You wouldn't believe those two hated each other, would ya?" Shaggy whispered to Dick and Bruce. "Hated?" Dick asked. "I'm sensing tension off them now." He said.

"And who are you to judge my brother's name, _Norville_." Velma said, Daphne laughed. "Hey!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Beats a name like, Dick." Daphne said. "My name is Richard!" Dick exclaimed.

"Can we please just focus on the mission at hand." Bruce said. "Agreed." Velma said.

"'Stay with the van, you'll slow us down.'" Fred mumbled, as he sat in front seat. "Just because I'm limping a little doesn't mean I can't hold my own."

"Don't be so down about this Fred, it might turn that being left her is better." Tim said, sitting in the back with the others. "Speak for yourself, Drake." Damian said. "There could be a bunch of monsters in there, and we're safely out here." Tim smirked.

There was a loud noise, followed by a thumping. "Don't be so sure about that, Tim." Jason said.

"Holy crap." Fred mumbled, as a horde of monsters stomped past the Mystery Machine.

Shaggy panted. "Twenty-six flights of stairs." Velma followed him, panting, "At least we're here." She panted. "Now, let's see if he's here." Velma said as she approached the door. "What are you going to do? Just knock on the door." Daphne asked. "Yes." Velma said, and began knocking.

They waited quietly for a few seconds. "Maybe he's been hit with the plague." Velma said. "Uh, hello?" A voice came from the other side of the door. "That sounds like Daisy! Rufus' wife." Velma exclaimed. "Daisy, it's Velma, Rufus' sister!" She exclaimed.

The door handle turned. "Hold on a sec." Daphne said. "What?" Bruce asked. The door opened, Rufus stood in the door way with a gun in his hand, pointing at them.

"Shit." Daphne mumbled, Rufus pulled the trigger.


	7. Chapter 7

**7**

Rufus pulled the trigger. Bruce pulled Dick back, Scooby ducked, Daphne pulled Shaggy and Velma back, but the bullet grazed her arm.

"Ow! You crazy son-of-a-bitch!" She exclaimed as blood dripped slowly through the tear in her jacket. "I'm gonna kill you." She glared at Rufus, who started laughing. "A _woman_ thinks she can kill _me_!" He laughed.

"Ahh, crap." Shaggy muttered. Daphne punched Rufus in the nose. He fell unconscious to the floor. "Poor dude." Shaggy said. "Did you kill him?" Daisy asked, nervously. "Of course not." Daphne said.

"Wow." Shaggy said, as he looked at Daisy, standing behind Rufus, with a black eye. "What?" She asked, nervously. "Uh-um, nothing, I'm just surprised you survived this apocalypse." Shaggy said. "Oh, well Rufus had me in the bunker so the nanites wouldn't infect me." Daisy said.

"I'll ring Fredster, let 'im know we found Rufus." Shaggy said.

 **BREE-BREE**

"What's that?" Jason asked. "My phone." Fred said, he pulled his phone out of his back pocket.

"Who is it?" He asked. "Oh Shaggy…we'll I thought it was either you, Daph or Velma…I'm whispering because a few minutes ago, dozens of monsters stomped past the Mystery Machine and they're still out there…yes we're all ok but you've got to get out of there…I'll drive over and use the Mystery Machine to…but you can't just…" Fred growled.

"What was that about?" Ivy asked. "They want us to stay here." Fred said.

"Are we?" Harley asked. "Until all those monsters go away from the van, then we're going to find the others." Fred said.

"And you said staying with the van was safer." Damian muttered to Tim, who scowled.

"Umm. Shaggy, is it?" Daisy asked. "Yes, Daisy, right?" Shaggy asked. "Yes." Daisy said. "Um… Rufus is awake and he's in a terrible mood." She said. "Well, I'd better go speak t'him." Shaggy said, he walked into the living room where Rufus was lying awake on the couch. He had a bruise on his nose where Daphne punched him.

"Are you the one who hit me?" Rufus asked, angrily. "Nope, that would be Daphne." Shaggy said. "Ha, a woman? No _woman_ is capable of over powering Rufus Dinkley!" He exclaimed, Scooby growled, startling Rufus.

"Well, you'd better believe it, 'cause it happened." Shaggy said. Rufus growled. "Why are you here?" Rufus asked. "Why haven't you been mutated by the plague."

"Slow down dude, you want answers you'd better speak t'ya sister." Shaggy said. "Dude?" Rufus asked. "Hey, Velma! Sleepin' beauty's awake!" Shaggy exclaimed. "We'll be right there!" Daphne called from the bathroom.

Bruce wrapped a bandage around Daphne arm. "This really isn't necessary." Daphne said. "It'll get infected if it's left to fester." Bruce said. "He's right, I once had a blister on my ankle and when the skin came off-"

"That's enough, Dick." Bruce said. "I'm really dreading this." Velma said, as she looked at her reflection in the mirror. "You've got to put aside your family issues, we came a long way to find out what he knows about the apocalypse." Daphne said. "Put my issues aside? Daphne, he shot me!" Velma exclaimed. "I think you'll find the bullet hit me." Daphne said. "Well, he aimed for me!" Velma said.

"If you hadn't pulled me out of the way I'd be dead by now, you saved my life!" Velma exclaimed. "Well, I guess I've gotten used to you, in an odd, uncomfortable way." Daphne said. "Thank you." Velma said, sarcastically.

"There." Bruce said, as he stuck some tape on the bandage. "Thank you." Daphne said, putting her jacket back on. "It was just a graze but, thanks."

"Rufus has always been the most intimidating of the four, he treats me like a genetic abnormality, unless he wants something from me, then he can be charming and sweet. But it was Rufus who convinced me to join the complex."

"Are you ready?" Bruce asked. "I suppose." Velma said. They stepped out into the living room.

"Ha, well isn't it my beloved sister, the genius who turned the whole planet into a living nightmare." Rufus said, sitting on the couch with his arms crossed.

"I'll take responsibility for my action in this Rufus, you should consider that too." Velma said.

"Ha…Hey, aren't you Bruce Wayne?" Rufus asked. "How come you didn't get affect by this plague too?" Rufus asked angrily.

 **BREE-BREE**

"What now Fredster…wow there are a lot of them down there…I'll call ya back." Shaggy said hanging up the phone.

"We've got to go, Velma wrap this up." Shaggy said. "But you've just got here. Daisy would be happy to make you some dinner." Rufus said. "We didn't come for dinner." Velma said, stubbornly. "I did." Scooby said.

"You overwrote my project for the nanites, Rufus! I want to know why!" She exclaimed. "I did it to control to world's population, for their own good." Rufus said. "But your tampering amplified the nanite's capacity for independent thoughts and turned them into monsters!" Velma exclaimed.

"Not to mention the abilities some of them had." Daphne interrupted. "You must be Daphne." Rufus said. "Yeah, the one who knocked you out." She smirked, he growled at her. "What use does the world have for flying monsters, Mr Dinkley?" Bruce asked.

"Science, Mr Wayne." Rufus said, "And don't use the word 'monsters'."

"They are." Daphne said. "And some call the dinosaurs _monsters_ , but they're just beings of their time, these creatures are simply beings of _their_ time." Rufus said. "They're monsters an' you know it." Shaggy said. "To you they might be, but to me they're my worshippers." Rufus exclaimed, as he stepped onto the balcony and stared down at the beasts below.

"Worshippers? They don't seem to be paying any attention to you." Velma said. "Nonsense. They're just rallying around the tower, desperate to see me." Rufus said.

"Remember that monster in the hospital?" Shaggy whispered to Daphne. "Yeah." She replied. " _He_ is crazier." Shaggy said, staring at Rufus, Daphne nodded in agreement.

"How do you expect to live on a planet full of monsters?" Velma said. "Stop using that word, _monster_ is an irrelevant term, to a canary a cat is a monster," Rufus said stubbornly, "And I'll adapt, I'll live."

Velma sighed. "Unlike our brother, Hugo." Rufus said. "Hugo?" Velma asked, "What?"

"Killed himself. Stupid fool has been feeling guilty ever since the nanites were activated." Rufus said. Velma sighed, sadly.

Velma growled, she picked up a laptop from the desk and swung it in between Rufus' legs. He screamed loudly. "Oh goodness!" Daisy exclaimed. Daphne gasped but Shaggy, Dick and Bruce cringed. "You sick, twisted, egotistical son-of-a-bitch!" Velma exclaimed, she smacked him across the head with the laptop. "No!" Bruce exclaimed, as he pulled her away from Rufus.

"Come on people, we gotta get outta here! In a matter of minutes, those monsters will be up here ready t'tear us apart!" Shaggy exclaimed. "They're coming in?" Daisy asked. "It'll take them a while to get up to the penthouse, but yeah, they're coming." Dick said. "If they're coming up, how do we get down?" Daphne asked.

"Don't worry," Daisy began, "Rufus has a security system set up so any of the mutated creatures won't be able to make it as far as the first floor."

"That would be true if I hadn't already turned the system off this morning." Rufus said. "What?" Daisy asked. "Why?" Velma asked. "My worshippers, come to _worship_ me!" Rufus exclaimed, still lying on the floor.

"They're _monsters_ , they'll kill you." Bruce said. "They adore me!" Rufus exclaimed, "None of you understand _my world_ , the way I see it!"

"You're delusional, Rufus, you have been since the day I met you." Daisy said. "Now see here!" Rufus exclaimed as he attempted to get to his feet, Scooby growled at him, Rufus backed off and stayed sitting on the floor.

"I've had enough of you." Daisy said. "Everyone, come with me."

"There's a secret escape route built into the tower." Daisy said, heading towards the door. "No, no, no, no, I won't allow it! I won'-" Rufus screamed, Daphne kicked him between his legs. "Shut up!" She exclaimed and followed the others out the door.

"Hey, Daisy, where does the exit lead to?" Shaggy asked. "To the back of the building." Daisy said. "Ok." Shaggy said, as he pulled his phone out. "Fredster bring the van around t'the back of the buildings…we'll be five minutes…maybe."

"Should we go back for him?" Dick asked. "Absolutely not!" Velma exclaimed. "It will be easier for us to save the world, _without_ him."

They came to a door at the bottom of the stairs, Shaggy pushed the door open slightly and peeped his head around, "Coast is clear." He whispered.

"We need to clear this debris." Daphne said. "Why?" Shaggy asked. "So, the van can get through." Daphne said. They began to move pieces of debris to one side, making a space big enough for the Mystery Machine to get through. "I'm sorry we dragged you into this mess, Daisy." Velma said.

"What mess?" Daisy replied, "You saved me from Rufus. You didn't drag me into any mess, Velma."

"We didn't?" Velma asked. "Of course not." Daisy replied. The Mystery Machine turned the corner and came closer and closer to the group. "Here comes the van! We're saved!" Shaggy exclaimed, Scooby barked.

"Don't make assumptions." Daphne said. "Luck doesn't last, not our luck anyway. What are you just standing around for? Get in the van!" She exclaimed.

Daisy stared, startled, Bruce and Dick exchanged looks. "I'd tell you her bark is worse that her bite, but that would mean I'd be lying to you." Velma said. "Why do you put up with her?" Daisy asked. "Same reason she puts up with me, we're friends." Velma replied.

"Do you think Rufus got away, do you think he'll survive?" Daisy asked. There was an explosion, Dinkley Tower started shaking. "Not a chance in hell." Bruce said, he and Daisy were the last to jump into the van, Bruce slammed the door shut and they drove as fast as the van would go, away from the tower which began crumbling to the ground.

 **Waterville, Washington**

The gang had been in Waterville for only a few hours, it was the first place Fred thought of as they drove away from Seattle.

"You ok, Daisy?" Shaggy asked, as they stood a few feet away from the Mystery Machine, Daisy stared at the abandoned town. "I'm not sure Shaggy. The last few years with Rufus were a nightmare, but," She sighed, "This is going to sound crazy…but in the middle of an apocalypse, I've never felt so free." She smiled. "Well, you'll be safe with us, Rufus is gone now." Shaggy said, cheerfully.

Daphne sat on the back step of the Mystery Machine, "Is this really the first place you thought of, Freddy?" She asked. "It was the first place that I knew was far away from Seattle." Fred replied. Daphne sighed, "We haven't been here in…months." She said.

Tim, Dick, Jason, Ivy and Damian sat on the side of the road. Damian twiddling a baterang in his hands, he was holding it as the plane went down and had managed to keep hold of it ever since. "Now that mankind has been destroyed, this town and all the others will finally grow into a beautiful forest." Ivy said happily. The others rolled their eyes.

Velma stepped out of the Mystery Machine, holding the laptop. "I went through the documents again, but I couldn't find anything on how to reverse this plague, or if it even is reversible." Velma said.

Scooby was walking around the Mystery Machine, sniffing the ground, when suddenly, he looked up and stared into the distance. "Scoob, you ok?" Shaggy asked, Scooby's ears twitched. "Roice." Scooby said. "What did he say?" Barbara asked. "He heard a voice." Shaggy said.

"That could have been one of us." Barbara said. "No, roice, rhat ray." Scooby said. "Hmm... a summons, question is, who is it?" Velma said.

"We should follow it." Bruce said. "Someone, or something, has learnt to control these monsters, it could be the key to ending this apocalypse." Velma said.

"I hate to admit it, but she's right." Daphne said. "Of course, I'm right." Velma said. "So, we're followin' the voice that's controllin' the flesh eatin' monsters?" Harley asked. "Yes." Velma said, "Everyone into the van." Velma said.

"What's going on?" Tim asked. "Velma is trying to get us killed." Daphne said. "That's a misrepresentation." Velma said. "Scooby can hear a voice and Velma wants us to follow it." Daphne said. "Good, then we can kill them." Damian said.

"They're herding together, heading for a meeting point." Velma said. "And we're going the other way?" Shaggy asked, hopefully. "No, we're following the voice Scooby heard." Velma said.

Everyone climbed into the Mystery Machine, they drove out of the town and approached an overpass. "Stop!" Velma exclaimed, Fred slammed his foot on the brake. "What is it?" He asked. "There they are!" Velma said, she pointed down to the road underneath and they watched as a large herd of monsters stomped along the road.

Velma quietly climbed out of the Mystery Machine. "Where are you going?" Daisy asked. "I need to observe their behaviour." Velma said. "What? Why?" Fred asked. "Well, look at them, weeks ago they were trying to kill each other, and now they're acting as if each of them is alone." Velma said, she pulled out pair of binoculars and watched them stomp by.

She stepped onto the overpass, everyone watched her. She put her binoculars down and suddenly, "HELLO DOWN THERE! I'M UP HERE!" She shouted, waving her arms around.

"Stop that!" Shaggy exclaimed. "The woman has lost her mind!" Damian exclaimed, Velma picked up her binoculars and casually walked back to the Mystery Machine. "What the hell was that?" Daphne asked. "No reaction from them at all, like I said, they didn't even know I was there, they're in kind of hypnotic state." Velma said.

"There was nothing in the documents about this kind of behaviour." Daphne said. "But remember we read that they can think for themselves, sort of." Fred said. "So, something has its own mind and is controlling their minds?" Tim asked. "Precisely." Velma said.

"I think we should follow them." Bruce said. "What?" Shaggy asked. "If they can't see us or hear us, that gives up the perfect opportunity to see where they're going and find out what is controlling them." Bruce said. "I agree." Velma said.

"We'll take the back roads." Fred said, they crossed the overpass and drove through the bumpy back roads. Which, after a few hours of driving, put them ahead of the herd.

"I think we lost them, Fred." Daphne said. "You see anythin' Velma?" Shaggy asked, Velma stood on top of the Mystery Machine with her binoculars, "We've not lost them." She said, "They're coming."

Jason pulled his hand gun from his pocket, "You saved that from the plane?" Bruce asked. "No, I always keep one on me." Jason said, he pulled another gun out of his pocket, "I saved this one from the plane."

"Hold on." Velma said. "They're exiting the highway, about half a mile back." Velma said.

"You think they've reached their destination?" Bruce asked. "There's only one way to find out." Velma said. "Let me guess, we're followin' them into the woods?" Shaggy asked. "Yes." Velma said. "Bad things happen in the woods." Shaggy said. "Yeah, you ever watch that musical?" Harley asked. "With giants an' a witch an' a wolf."

"Take Harley's word for it guys, it's a bad idea." Fred said. "The Mystery Machine would get stuck in there and it's an obvious target."

"So, we'll go on foot." Velma said, as she climbed down. "Any volunteers?" She asked. "I'll go." Daphne said, as she picked up her gun. "I was afraid of that." Fred mumbled.

"I'll come." Tim said. "I'm coming too." Dick said. Jason sighed, "So am I."

"Re roo!" Scooby exclaimed. "Scooby?" Shaggy asked. "Are you sure you want to do this?" Bruce asked. "Yes, don't worry Bruce, all those years of training we'll be fine." Tim said.

Bruce sighed, and nodded reluctantly. "Ok, be careful." He said. "Be careful, Dick." Barbara said. "Don't worry, like Tim said, we'll be fine." Dick replied.

"I think Scooby Doo is perfectly capable of protecting us." Velma said, Scooby stood proudly. "Good boy, Scoob!" Shaggy exclaimed.

"If it gets too dangerous, come back, or we'll come and get you." Fred said. "We'll be fine." Daphne said.

"Let's go." Velma said.

Velma walked into the woods, with Scooby by her side, followed by Daphne, Dick, Tim and Jason. "So, how long have you guys been following these monsters?" Tim asked. "Since the nanites were first activated." Daphne said. "Wow, that was a while ago." Tim said. "So, how come you and your friends didn't get…mutated?" Dick asked. "We were in the _safe zone_ inside the underground complex." Daphne said.

"We were in an underground cave." Jason said. "Maybe that's why you guys didn't get mutates, maybe the safe zone and the cave you guys were in were so far underground that the nanites couldn't reach us." Daphne suggested. "That sounds plausible." Tim said. "What about Harley and Ivy?" He asked.

"They were in Ivy's greenhouse." Jason said, "Maybe all those toxins stopped the nanite from-"

"Shhh." Velma hissed, "Can you hear that?" She asked. A branch snapped, followed by the sound of growling. Scooby growled. "Do you think they're monsters?" Tim whispered. Velma shook her head.

Out from the bushes stepped a tall figure, and behind it smaller ones. Velma gasped, "Scrappy?" Scooby growled as Scrappy's hounds surrounded them, but they were not alone. "Is that a boy?" Daphne asked as a young male child with dark hair and one arm stepped out behind Scrappy.

"You recognise me, Doctor Dinkey?" Scrappy asked. "You should, you used t'play with me, rub my belly and give me secret snacks when none of the other doctors were looking. But that changed when you put these implants in me."

"Scrappy? How…how did you-" Velma stuttered.

"How did I get like this?" Scrappy asked, "Oh, I had my implants upgraded, so instead of a cute tiny puppy, I'm a _big_ dog, walkin' on two feet!" He exclaimed.

"Scooby Doo, I see you're still the same as you were when you first stepped foot into the complex." Scrapped snapped. "Oh, this is Cliffy." Scrappy said. "My pups and I found him wondering around California, he was almost killed by two monsters." Scrappy said.

"Why are you here?" Daphne asked Scrappy. "This doesn't concern you, Red. Nor those boys, but me, Scoobert and the Doc." Scrappy snapped. Daphne and Jason held up their guns as Scrappy stepped closer to her Jason. "Don't hurt him!" Velma exclaimed. "He's just as much my responsibility as those monsters."

"I swear to god, one more step and-" Daphne began, "And what, Red? I'm fast, you and him will both be dead before either of you can pull the trig-" Scrappy was cut off, Scooby pounced him. "Run!" Velma exclaimed.

Velma, Daphne, Tim, Dick and Jason ran away from Scrappy and his pups, Jason turned around and saw Scrappy throw Scooby off him, and Scrappy began to chase them. "Goddamit, he is fast!" Jason exclaimed.

They stopped running when Tim almost ran into a monster, Dick grabbed him. "No," Daphne said, "We need to go with them."

"What?" Jason asked. "Like Velma said, they're unaware of each other and us." Daphne said. "I've been wrong before!" Velma exclaimed. "Just go." Daphne said.

The five of them walked among the monsters, unnoticed, until Scrapped jumped in front of them, Jason and Daphne fired at Scrappy, but some of the monsters got in the way. Scrappy was too fast for them.

"It seems that Scrappy has evolved somehow." Velma said. "Is it possible that your brothers were working on a second-level smart dog program and didn't tell you?" Tim asked. "I wouldn't put it past them." Velma replied.

"Give me Dinkley, or you'll all die!" Scrappy exclaimed. "I'll shoot the four of them and then myself before we surrender to you." Daphne said. "Wait what?" Dick asked.

Jason and Daphne began firing again, but Daphne began to hear her gun clicking, she was out of ammunition. "You're out of ammunition Red, and look, not a scratch on me!" Scrappy exclaimed. "That means I win, and you all die!"

"Umm…enjoy your victory Scrappy, because it won't last." Daphne said. "What are you talkin- oh no." Scrappy said. Somehow, the gunfire had caught the attention of the monsters who were storming back in their direction.

"We shouldn't have let them go." Fred said. He sat on the back step of the Mystery Machine, Daisy sat next to him. Shaggy and Bruce stood on the roadside. "We didn't have much of a choice," Bruce said.

"He's right," Shaggy said, "Fredster, you've got a busted leg, Daisy's new t'this, Damian is injured."

"Velma had to go, seeing as she's the only one who can really analyse the situation and my boys are trained." Bruce said. "What about Daphne?" Fred asked, "She's not trained."

"No, but she's the closest thing we've got to a solider." Shaggy said. "That's just it Shaggy, she's _not_ a solider." Fred said, "We keep pretending that Daphne's a kick-ass action hero but she's not. She just an average woman-"

"Average?" Daisy cut in, "I think we can all agree, that Daphne's anything but average. And I suspect that you know far better than I do."

"And that's why I'm worried." Fred said. "If anything happens to her-"

"Don't forget Scooby's with em'" Harley said. "She's right. He's perfectly capable of protecting them." Shaggy said. "My boys are with them too." Bruce said. "They'll be fine."

"Was that gunfire?" Barbara asked. "Yes." Damian said.

"It's stopped." Daisy said.

"A little help here mutts!" Scrappy exclaimed, his pups soon came running in and attacking the monsters. "This way, there seems to be a clear path! Dick exclaimed. Scrappy pulled the head off one of them and then grabbed another and slammed its head into a tree. The dogs were losing the battle. "No!" Scrappy exclaimed, as a monster slashed its claws through one of them, and another.

"This way!" Dick exclaimed. "We should get back to the van!" Velma exclaimed. "We can't lead thses monsters back to the others!" Daphne shouted. "This is the way!" Dick exclaimed.

Scooby had caught up to Daphne and the others and helped them kill the monsters surrounding them, but Scrappy's dogs had all been killed. "We need to find out where they were heading, we need to know if this can end this madness!" Velma exclaimed. "I'll follow 'em, those beasts killed my pups." Scrappy said, as he stormed off to follow the other monsters.

"Do you think he'll be alright by himself?" Dick asked. "Well, he did help us, in a weird way." Jason said. "R'll ro." Scooby said. "What?" Tim asked. "R'll rollow Rappy." Scooby said. "Are you sure Scooby?" Velma asked. "Yes, ro." Scooby said as he ran off.

"Don't leave me here!" A voice shouted. Cliffy was stood behind them, "Scrappy! Wait for me!" Cliffy exclaimed, as he began to run after Scrappy, but Jason grabbed him. "Whoa, whoa, whoa, stay here kid, you'll be safe with us."

"No! Scrappy's my friend!" Cliffy exclaimed. "Jason's right, stay with us." Daphne said. "But Scrappy-"

"Scrappy can take care of himself, now I suggest we get back to the van!" Velma exclaimed. "Let's go!" Daphne said, she turned around but they heard a stick snap, she froze. A herd of monsters ran out of the bushes towards them.

"We're not going to make it to the van!" Velma exclaimed. "Climb the trees!" Jason exclaimed, "Now!"

Jason threw Cliffy on to his back and they climbed up the trees.

They looked down at the monsters gathering on the ground around them, they seemed to be focused on the area they were gathered in, though none of them seemed to look in the trees.

They were safe, for now.

"Do you think they'll go away?" Tim whispered. "I don't know." Dick whispered back. "If we're quiet they won't find us, but if they hear us then we're dead." Velma whispered.


	8. Chapter 8

**8**

"They should be back by now." Barbara said. "I know, they've been gone almost three hours." Shaggy said.

"Maybe we should look for them, Father." Damian said. "No," Bruce said, "They'll be fine."

"And if they're not?" Damian asked, Bruce didn't answer.

Fred stood on his crutches outside the Mystery Machine, a hundred different scenarios played through his mind.

"Are you ok Fred?" Daisy asked, Fred stared into the distance. "Yeah, I'm just-"

"Worrying about Daphne?" Daisy asked. "They've been gone too long." Fred said. "I agree but I think they can handle themselves, like Bruce said the boys are trained and Scooby and Daphne can look after themselves and they'll look after Velma." Daisy said.

"I know Daph can handle herself, but I'm just worried about her, that's all." Fred said. "You love her?" She asked. "Yes." Fred said, then he sighed, "Do you think I'm an idiot? I've been trying to win her over for years with no luck, but I don't give up."

"I don't think you're an idiot Fred, just a hopeless romantic, _not_ an idiot." Daisy said. "Hopeless?" Fred asked. "You guys proved to me, things are hopeless, until they're not." Daisy said. "I'd never thought I'd get away from Rufus, but you guys came and changed my life." Daisy said.

"Do you miss him?" Fred asked. "I do, and I don't. when I met him, he was sweet and polite, but after he and his brothers came up with the idea for the complex and their plans were put into action, he became arrogant, and greedy for power, I had no interest in him anymore, but he wouldn't let me go." Daisy said.

"He reminds me of…Daphne's dad." Fred said. "How so?" Daisy asked. "Arrogant, rich, powerful, he always scared the hell out of me." Fred said. "He loved Daphne, though he drove her _really_ hard. She had to be the best and nothing less."

"How did you meet her?" Daisy asked. "In college, we hit off right away." Fred said. "You seem really close, did you ever date?" Daisy asked.

Fred sighed, "Just once, but it didn't go well." He said. "Well, don't give up Fred. Given the way things are, the world could use a few more _hopeless_ romantics." Daisy said.

"Do you think they'll be ok, Father?" Damian asked. "Yes, they grew up in _Gotham_ after all, they'll be alright." Bruce said.

"This branch is making me itch." Tim whispered, Dick brought his finger to his lips as Tim spoke, the monsters had not heard him, they hadn't noticed them sitting in the trees above them.

Jason sat with Cliffy on the branch, the young boy was still worried about Scrappy, as were the others about Scooby.

Daphne sat on a branch by herself, she looked down at the swarm of clueless monsters below her, then she looked over to the four boys and Velma on the other branches; _How did I get here?_

She took a deep breath. She remembered arguing with her dad just before she and Fred left Waterville, she remembered her mother trying to talk her out of leaving, _it was their own fault anyway_.

She sighed again, this time a tear escaped her eye and ran down her cheek. "Daphne, are you alright, you look terribly upset." Velma whispered. "Shut up!" Daphne hissed, "They'll hear you."

Daphne sighed, just because she blamed her parents, doesn't mean she didn't miss them, but it was her sister she missed the most.

 _Daphne's older sister Thalia sat on Daphne's bed, watching Daphne pack up boxes of her stuff. "I can't believe you threw away most of your stuff." Thalia said. "Well, I didn't even need half of this junk in here." Daphne said._

 _"You say that literally every time you clear out your room, which is like what, every two months?" Thalia joked. "Not every two months." Daphne said, "I know I clean my room a lot but I don't like it when it's crowded, and I don't having useless junk I don't need or want._

 _"I know." Thalia said, "Lewis and I are clearing out all of our stuff before we move into our new place."_

 _"Did you tell mom and dad yet?" Daphne asked. "They haven't stopped arguing, they didn't even notice me walk into the house." Thalia said. "I know, it's been a nightmare here." Daphne said. "Mom refused to make dad dinner the other night, so she went to Annie's for wine."_

 _"Really?" Thalia asked. "Yeah, dad went out, so Fred came over and we ordered a pizza." Daphne said._

 _"Anyway, you'd better tell them, before you know it you'll be pushing a stroller around."_

 _"And they still won't notice." Thalia joked, Daphne laughed. "What are you going to name it?" Daphne asked. "We haven't really talked about it." Thalia said, "He told his parents last week."_

 _"I still can't believe you're moving to Seattle." Thalia sighed. "It's for work." Daphne replied._

 _"Mom and dad are really pissed." Thalia said. "So, that's not my fault." Daphne said. "I didn't say it was your fault." Thalia replied, "All I'm saying is, you don't have to go just because they're arguing."_

 _"I'm not leaving because they're arguing." Daphne replied, "I'm leaving because Fred and I are going to be working in Seattle."_

 _"That's only, what, three hours from here." Thalia said._

 _"So?" Daphne asked. "So, you don't have to leave." Thalia replied. "You mean I should drive three hours to work every morning instead of buying an apartment two blocks away from the building, I don't think so." Daphne said._

 _"Ever since mom found those weird letters in dad's drawer, you've been acting weird." Thalia said. "So have you and I think anyone would act weird upon reading those." Daphne said stubbornly._

 _Thalia rolled her eyes. They heard their parents begin arguing again, downstairs. Thalia sighed, "How long do you think they'll carry on like this?" She asked. "What you mean before they get a divorce or before he realises he was wrong and tries to make it up to her." Daphne asked._

 _"Ha, dad admit he was wrong?" Thalia joked. "You're right." Daphne replied. "Maybe mom will finally realise he's a jackass and…kill him."_

 _"Wow thanks for that." Thalia replied, sarcastically. "Do you really think he could do something so careless, like what the lady said in the letters?" Daphne asked. "I don't know." Thalia replied._

 _"So, this apartment you and Fred are moving into, what's it like?" Thalia asked, "Is it nice, spacious, two bedrooms or one? Is it romantic?" She teased. "Shut up." Daphne said, "That ended months ago."_

 _"Right, so why are you moving into an apartment, in another city with you best friend slash ex-boyfriend?" Thalia asked. "Because he's my best friend." Daphne said. "Alright." Thalia winked. "Will you stop it!" Daphne exclaimed._

 _"If you must know, our apartment is next door to a pizzeria." Daphne said. "So, Fred had no choice then." Thalia joked._

 _"When are you leaving?" Thalia asked. "Tomorrow, at around two o'clock." Daphne said. "Maybe earlier if they don't shut up." She said, over the sound of the arguing downstairs._

 _"You better call me every day!" Thalia said. "We both know that's not going to happen." Daphne said._

 _"Will you come back when the baby's here?" Thalia asked. "Not permanently." Daphne said._

 _When Daphne and Fred arrived in Seattle, they were greeted with a pile of paperwork and a folder of unsolved cases._

 _Two years after they moved to Seattle, they received a phone call from Dr Dinkley in Nevada, requesting their help._

She did not expect to be stuck up in a tree surrounded by a swarm of monsters, she couldn't imagine her beloved sister, or her niece turned into flesh eating monsters or ripped to shreds. She wiped her eyes and focused on staying hidden from the beasts below.

Cliffy sat on the branch next to Jason, shaking in fear. "How did you get here, kid?" Jason whispered to Cliffy, "How did that dog find you?" Jason stared down at the monsters, they hadn't heard him whisper, but Velma looked from the monsters to Jason, who continued to speak to Cliffy.

"Umm… t-they found me i-in Californina." Cliffy whispered. "T-the monsters, they ripped off m-my arm and killed my parents and my sister."

"A bad guy killed my parents too." Jason whispered. "Why?" Cliffy asked. "They mixed with the wrong people." Jason whispered.

"Ssshh!" Velma hissed. Dick kept falling asleep, Tim shook him awake. Daphne stared down at the monsters, wondering if the others back at the Mystery Machine were ok, especially Fred.

Velma continued to stare at the monsters, wondering how long it would be before they left, but they seemed to be interested in this area.

Fred stood outside the Mystery Machine, staring into the trees. "Fredster, you should get some rest." Shaggy said, as he stepped out of the Mystery Machine. "Aren't you worried about them Shaggy?" Fred asked. "Of course, I am Fred." Shaggy said. "I'm worried sick about Scoob an' the others, but they can handle themselves." Shaggy said. "And what if they can't?" Fred asked. "What if something happens to them? They've been gone more than three hours."

"If they're not back in the next hour, we'll go look for 'em." Shaggy said. "We should have gone looking for them ages ago." Fred said.

"I think we go an' look fer 'em." Harley said. "I agree." Ivy said. "So do I, but Father has faith that they'll return." Damian said. "An' if they don't?" Harley asked. Damian sighed.

"Damian is right, if Bruce had faith in them, then we must too." Daisy said. "No matter how scary it is, we must have faith in our friends."

Jason jumped out of the tree, "They're gone." He called up to the others. "How long were we sat up there?" Tim asked as they began to climb down from the trees. "Uh, a long time." Velma said. "Come on, let's get back to the others." Daphne said, "But keep your eyes open for any monsters."

They started to head back to the van, each of them looking around to spot any sign of monsters. Jason wrapped his arm around Cliffy's shoulder, holding him close and they walked through the woods, his gun held tightly in his other hand.

"Well, maybe they've gone somewhere else?" Tim asked. "Yes, but where?" Dick asked. "Hopefully they haven't found the others." Daphne said.

A stick snapped.

"What was that?" Velma asked. "Sshh." Daphne hissed. They looked around them, they heard a rustling from the bushes. "Scrappy?" Cliffy asked. Scooby appeared from the bushes.

"Scooby Doo!" Velma exclaimed.

"Are you ok?" Daphne asked. "Reah!" Scooby exclaimed.

"Where is Scrappy?" Cliffy asked. "Ron't ro." Scooby said. "He's missing!" Cliffy exclaimed. "We need to go and look for him!"

"No, Scrappy can handle himself!" Daphne exclaimed, "We need to get back to the others!"

"Agreed, let's go." Velma said. They began heading back to the van.

"What happened to Scrappy, Scooby?" Cliffy asked as they walked through the woods. "Rured ronster raway." Scooby said. "What?" Cliffy asked. "He said he lured the monsters away." Daphne said.

"Oh," Cliffy began, "Will he be ok?" He asked. "I'm sure Scrappy can handle himself." Tim said. "He-he can." Cliffy said

Suddenly there was a growling from behind them and a big green monster leapt out from the bushes and jumped onto Tim, who was standing closest to him. "TIM!" Jason exclaimed, he began firing at the monster.

The others stood in shock. Tim screamed, Scooby pounced onto the monster and began tackling it. The monster was distracted, Dick and Daphne pulled Tim away from the beast, blood covered his body. The monster left a scar on his neck and a wide gash across his body. Scooby and Jason finally killed the beast.

"Tim!" Dick screamed, Tim groaned. "We need to get him back to Bruce!" Jason exclaimed. "There's a medical kit in the van!" Velma exclaimed. As Jason lifted Tim up, he groaned in pain, they hurried back to the van, Scooby stayed close to Cliffy.

"What's that sound?" Fred asked. "I hear it." Bruce said as he stepped closer to Fred. Footsteps came closer and closer to them. Shaggy stepped out of the van with a gun. "Wait a minute, Shaggy." Fred said. "I think it's-"

"Scooby Doo!" Shaggy exclaimed, he put the gun down and wrapped his arms around his best friend. "Daph!" Fred exclaimed as Daphne stepped into the clearing. "Thank god, you're ok! I was so worried about you!"

"Bruce!" Jason exclaimed, as he carried Tim into the clearing. "Tim! No!" Bruce exclaimed. Harley gasped, Ivy grabbed her hand.

"Take him to the van!" Velma exclaimed, Jason carried Tim into the Mystery Machine, Dick, Bruce and Velma followed. "Tim!" Damian exclaimed, sitting on the bench inside the Mystery Machine

"Is he alright?" Barbara asked. "Tim!" Bruce exclaimed as he sat next to Tim. Velma pulled out the medical kit and started dabbing Tim's wounds.

"Bruce." Tim said weakly. "It's ok, Tim." Bruce said. "Bruce." Tim said again. "Thank you for everything."

"No." Bruce said as he held Tim tightly in his arms. "I had a kick-ass time being Robin." Tim said weakly, before he stopped breathing, his pupils dilated, and his body went limp in Bruce's arms.

Bruce stared down at Tim's body lying in his arms, he held him tightly.

"What about Scrappy?" Cliffy asked. "Who's this little guy?" Daisy asked. "My name is Cliffy." He said, shyly. "I was in the woods with Scrappy, he found me in California." Cliffy said, "Scrappy, he's still out there! We need to find him!"

"Who's Scrappy?" Fred asked. Daphne rolled her eyes, "A dog from the Complex who tried to kill us." She said.

"Anotha doggy's ou' there?" Harley asked.

"He wasn't trying to kill you!" Cliffy exclaimed, "He was trying to protect the other dogs, but they were all killed."

"We need to get a move on." Ivy said. "No! What if Scrappy comes looking for me." Cliffy exclaimed. "If he's still alive." Ivy said. "I agree with her." Daphne began, "The monsters attacked Tim, and I'm surprised we're still alive. We need to keep moving." She said.

"But Scrappy-"

"He's not coming!" Daphne exclaimed. "What if he does!" Cliffy exclaimed.

"Guys, let's get a move on, before those beasties find us." Shaggy said.

Jason stepped out of the van. "He's dead." He said, "Tim's dead."

"Sorry Jason." Fred said. "I don't know what to do." Jason said, running his hand through his hair.

"I might be able to help." Ivy said, stepping towards Jason. "How?" He asked. "Bring Tim outside." Ivy said. "Why?" Jason asked. "Just bring him outside." She said.

Jason returned to the van, and then Bruce stepped out of the van, carrying Tim's body.

"Put him on the ground." Ivy said. Bruce reluctantly laid Tim's body on the ground a few feet from the Mystery Machine.

"Step back." Ivy said, everyone stood behind her, watching.

Ivy closed her eyes and held her hands out in front of her. Everyone stared, nothing happened, not for a few seconds. Then the ground gently shook, and two green vines rose out of the ground and wrapped themselves around Tim's body until he was covered.

Cliffy wrapped his arms around Scooby's neck as the ground shook and Damian grabbed Bruce's hand.

A hole formed under Tim's body, and the vines pulled him into the ground, the hole closed, and a single flower quickly grew on the spot where Tim's body was now buried. Ivy lowered her arms and opened her eyes.

"He'll be safe here." She said, staring at the flower, "The plants promise to keep him safe."

"Thank you." Bruce said. "We should start moving." He said as he looked away from the flower.

Everyone climbed into the Mystery Machine, Daphne and Fred sat in the front whilst the others sat in the back.

Shaggy sat next to Daisy who sat next to Cliffy, comforting him as he worried about Scappy.

Daphne stared the engine and the van pulled away from the area.

"Are you feeling ok?" Fred asked. "Yeah why?" Daphne asked. "You guys were gone for a long time, what happened?" Fred asked. "We ran into Scrappy, the monsters surrounded us and then we lost Scrappy and we sat in the trees waiting for the monsters to go away." Daphne said. "I was worried about you, I thought perhaps something happened." Fred said.

"Where's your gun?" He asked. "It ran out of ammunition, so I threw it at one of the monsters." Daphne said.

"Daph watch out!" Fred exclaimed, Daphne slammed her foot on the brakes. "Hey, who's drivin' this thing?!" Harley exclaimed.

There were four soldiers stood in front of the Mystery Machine.

"Freeze!" One of the soldiers exclaimed, he was clearly the commander. "What the fuck!" Daphne exclaimed.

Shaggy cleared his throat and he pushed open the Mystery Machine door. "Shaggy be careful!" Daphne exclaimed as she climbed out of the van. "Daph!" Fred exclaimed.

"You're coming with us." Said another soldier. "How are you people alive?" Shaggy asked. "Excuse me?" Said the commander.

"The woods are full a' mutated beasties." Harley said, sticking her head out of the window. "Ok, it looks like you people need some food and some rest." The Commander said. "Come with us."

"Where are you taking us?" Shaggy asked. "To the town." One of the soldiers said. "Town?" Daphne asked. "Yes of course, the town of Halcyon." The Commander said. "It's only a few miles away. Follow us." He said.

Shaggy and Daphne exchanged looks. "What do you think?" Shaggy asked. "I think you don't have a choice." The commander said, "You either come with us or we shoot the both of you and everyone in that vehicle."


	9. Chapter 9

**9**

As they climbed out of the Mystery Machine, the gang stared wide-eyed at the town in front of them. "Sherriff Monroe!" Exclaimed the commander, a man dressed in a beige shirt and black trousers approached them. He wore a black hat and a gold badge with **SHERRIFF** engraved on the front.

"We found these people wondering around the woods, talking about monsters." The commander said. "Monsters huh?" Sherriff Monroe said, he had a Southern accent, "They sure look tired, why don't you people come with me and I'll get you some food and somewhere to sleep." Sherriff Monroe said. "Follow me."

Fred and Daphne exchanged looks, "It's either the town or the woods, Daph." Fred said, Daphne rolled her eyes, but the gang followed Monroe into the town.

"Da you guys have chicken wings?" Harley asked. "Ha ha, we sure do young lady!" Monroe exclaimed. "Lady?" Damian asked. "Watch it kid!" Harley exclaimed.

"Ha ha, looks like stayin' in that van this whole entire time has caused a lil' bit a friction between you people." Monroe said. "Oh no, they're always fighting." Barbara said. "Because she's a psychopath killer." Damian said. "Sociopath! SO-CI-O-PATH!" Harley exclaimed.

"Either way she's killed people." Damian said. "Shut it kid!" Harley snapped. "Alright you two, cut it out." Bruce said, pulling Damian away from Harley.

"I'll take you some place where you can some rest." Monroe said. The gang followed Monroe through the town, people walked past them without a care in the world. "You said Velma though there were survivors." Shaggy whispered to Daphne. "I didn't think she meant a whole untouched town." Daphne said. "Like, I don't even think _she_ thought an entire untouched town." Shaggy said.

"Right this way fellows." Monroe said. "The best hotel in Halcyon." He said, then he began laughing, "The _only_ hotel in Halcyon."

"What happened to your arm?" Damian asked Cliffy as they walked through the town. "The monsters ripped it off, after they killed my parents and my sister." Cliffy replied. "Yeah, they killed my brother." Damian said. "I'm sorry." Cliffy said. "Don't be, it's not your fault the monsters killed Tim." Damian said.

"I'm Cliffy."

"I'm Damian."

"The one with the messy hair is Jason, the other one with messy hair is Dick, because he _is_ one and that's my father, Bruce." Damian said.

"It's unpleasant circumstances but, thank you Damian." Cliffy said.

Monroe led them to a hotel, it was a white building with red front doors, as they walked into the hotel, they saw a large reception desk, a woman sat at the desk.

"Well hello there Mary." Monroe said. "Hello Sherriff Monroe." Mary said. "Please, called me Tommy." Monroe said. "Tommy." Mary smiled. "How can I help you?" She asked. "Do you have a room available for these people?" Monroe asked. "The commander found the poor fellows in the woods."

"Oh goodness, yes we have a room available. It's the only one left though, with just the annual dance coming up."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." Monroe said, Mary smiled as she gave him the key. "Follow me." He said.

He led the gang through the hotel and up to a room. The room had a small round table with three wooden chairs around it, two arms chairs and two doors; one leading to the bathroom and the other leading to a bedroom with a double bed and one single bed.

"This is the last room in the hotel, sorry it isn't exactly big enough for party your size." Monroe said. "Thank you, Sherriff, I'm sure it'll be fine." Bruce said. "I'll let you people get settled in, I'll come back in 'bout two hours an' I'll take you t'get somethin' t'eat." Monroe said. "Thank you." Bruce said again.

Monroe left and closed the door behind him.

"Is the entire untouched town freakin' you guys out as much as it's freakin' Daph an' me out?" Shaggy exclaimed. "Of course, it is Shaggy." Velma said. "Like, you said you though there were survivors." Shaggy said. "But I thought it would make sense for the virus to be ineffective in freezing temperatures, like in Antarctica, not in a small American town!" Velma exclaimed.

"It's almost like those soldiers were wondering through the woods looking for us." Jason said. "Did anyone else notice that the towns people weren't paying any attention to us?" Barbara pointed out. "What?" Fred asked.

"Look at it, we turned up 'escorted' by soldiers and the Sherriff, looking like _this_ compared to the towns people." Barbara said as she looked at the gang. Everyone had unwashed hair, dirt on their arms and legs, they all had tears in their clothing, Daisy had a black eye, Fred was on crutches, Scooby wore a pair of goggles, Harley had white skin and her dip-dyed red and blue and Ivy had green skin.

"She's right." Daisy said, "We don't exactly blend in with the towns folk."

"I think we should get some rest whilst we can." Bruce said. "But I think someone should stay on watch in case anything happens."

"Well, I brought the laptop." Velma said, "So I'll stay awake."

"And so, will I." Barbara said. "You will?" Velma asked. "I wouldn't doubt Babs, she is quite intelligent." Dick said. "Alright then, Barbara and I will stay up and search through the laptop while the rest of you get some sleep." Velma said.

"How exactly?" Shaggy asked as he looked into the bedroom, "There are only two beds, two armchairs an' a table."

"The two little boys can share the single bed I'm sure." Jason said. "I'm not a 'little boy' Todd!" Damian exclaimed. "Damian just co-operate." Bruce said. "Alright fine." Damian said. "And his name is Cliffy."

Velma and Barbara sat at the table with the laptop, everyone else worked out the sleeping arrangements. Bruce swapped with Barbara after he struggled to get to sleep, still thinking about Tim.

"Hey, Ivy." Harley whispered, as she rolled onto her side, nestling into Ivy. They found some blankets and decided to sleep on the floor. "Yes, Harl?" Ivy asked. "What you did with Tim's body, I didn't know you could do that." Harley said.

"I did nothing, it was the plants." Ivy said. "I _can_ speak to them." Ivy said. "I know that." Harley said, "But I was thinkin', if I died would you bury me like that?" Harley asked. "Why do you ask?" Ivy asked. "Just wonderin'." Harley said.

"Oh, ok…um I guess I would." Ivy said. "Ok." Harley said, she closed her eyes and fell asleep. "Sleep tight my sweet nutcase." Ivy said as she kissed the top of Harley's head.

There was a knock at the door, everyone shot up, Barbara and Velma looked up from the laptop and stared at the door. Bruce stepped to the door and pulled it open, Monroe was standing on the other side of the door. "Well, hello." He said happily. "How did you people sleep?"

"Alright, thank you." Bruce said. "I thought perhaps you could do with somethin' t'eat." Monroe said. "I'm sure they'd love that." Bruce said.

"Thank god, I'm starving!" Jason exclaimed. "Re roo!" Scooby exclaimed. "Well look at that, a talkin' dog!" Monroe laughed. "Well, if you wanna follow me an' I'll take ya t'the diner."

"Diner!" Harley exclaimed, "With burgers an' fries an' shakes?" She asked, eagerly. "Well o'course." Monroe replied.

"Let's go!" Harley exclaimed. "I'll wake the boys." Daisy said.

"I'm so hungry!" Jason exclaimed as they walked through the town. "Yeah me too, hey how much further is this diner?" Shaggy asked. "Just aroun' the corner." Monroe said.

Cliffy followed behind slowly behind the gang, he felt like someone was watching him and looked around for anyone who he thought was suspicious. "Pssst." His eyes darted around the town, he thought perhaps someone was playing a trick on him, but then he saw her. A little girl wearing a bright blue dress, she had dark shoulder length hair and she stared right at Cliffy, smiling.

"This town was built aroun' this tree." Monroe stopped and began telling the gang about the tree, Harley was growing impatient.

Cliffy sneaked away from the gang and over towards the small girl. "Hello, my name is Carrie, what's yours?" She asked. "C-Cliffy." He said. "Cliffy?" She asked. "Y-yes, short for Clifford." Cliffy replied. "Nice to meet you Cliffy." She smiled, but it was wiped away when she saw he only had one arm. "Oh no, what happened to your arm?" She asked. "Oh, a monster tore it off, then it killed my family." Cliffy said. "Someone took your arm?" She asked. "Not someone, _something_." Cliffy corrected.

"Oh well, I can help with that!" Carrie exclaimed. Cliffy's eyes widened and he screamed in terror as an arm appear out of nowhere.

"Cliffy!" Daisy exclaimed as she ran over to him. "It's not my arm! It's not my arm!" Cliffy screamed. Scooby followed Daisy. "What's the matter Cliffy?" She asked as she wrapped her arm around him. "That girl! She-she grew my arm back!" He cried.

"I knew there was something suspicious about this town." Daphne said, "But _you_ thought I was crazy!" She said to Fred. "Is now _really_ a good time to gloat?" He asked, sarcastically.

"Cliffy there's no one there." Daisy said softly. "But-but." Cliffy stuttered, he saw only one arm. Scooby looked down into an alleyway, "D'you see anythin' Scoob?" Shaggy asked as he approached them. "Ro." Scooby replied. "Rmell rothing." He said.

"See Cliffy, there's nobody there, you're probably just tired." Shaggy said. "Yes, that's probably it." Daisy agreed.

"What's all the commotion!" Exclaimed a man's voice, Cliffy, Daisy and Shaggy turned around, a bald man, wearing a red jumper and brown trousers stood behind them, with his arms crossed.

"Now you've done it." Monroe said. "Done what? Something just spooked the boy." Bruce said. "Angered the towns folk." Monroe said, angrily.

"I'm gonna have t'ask you people to leave Halcyon an' never come back." Monroe said. "What?" Jason asked. "You heard me, get outta the town." Monroe said. Before they knew it, the towns people gathered around them, glaring angrily.

"That's what you get for gloating." Fred whispered. "Shut up." Daphne hissed. "Um…I suggest we do as the towns people ask and leave." Bruce said. "Good idea." One woman said.

"Let's go." Bruce said. "But I'm so hungry!" Harley cried.

"We'll find something I'm sure." Ivy said. "But I really wanted a burger!" Harley exclaimed

The gang made their way back to the Mystery Machine. "So, one minute we're being _escorted_ into the town and the next." Dick began. "We're being kicked out of the town." Barbara finished.

"Everyone into the van." Fred said. "I'll drive." Damian said. "No." Bruce said, sternly. " _I'll_ drive." Fred said.

"I have to go to the bathroom, I'll be back in a few minutes." Cliffy said. "Ok, will ya be alrigh' on yer own, Cliff?" Shaggy asked. "Yes." Cliffy said and walked into the woods.

Daphne pulled a gun out of a draw in the Mystery Machine. "Wow." Jason said, "I've never seen anything so pretty before." He said, as he began to stroke the gun. "That's creepy, Todd." Damian said.

Daisy looked towards the trees, "Do you think he'll be ok?" She asked. "Relax Daze, he's goin' fer a pee not an operation." Shaggy said.

Daisy sighed, "I'm just worried about him, that's all. That incident in the town really creeped him out."

"I know, but he'll be fine." Shaggy reassured.

Cliffy snuck back to the town, it was deserted. There was nobody in sight, they left the town less than an hour ago and it was full of people. But now, the shop windows were shattered, the doors broken off and there was nobody in sight.

"Cliffy?" A small voice asked. "Carrie?" Cliffy asked. The small figure stepped into the moonlight, Carrie stepped closer to Cliffy. "Why did you cry earlier? You scared me." She said. "I'm sorry, but _you_ scared me." Cliffy said. "I'm sorry." Carrie said.

"What happened to this town?" Cliffy asked, "I haven't been gone that long." Carrie stared at him, she sighed. "I created the town." She said. "What?" Cliffy asked. "I grew your arm back, we'll so to speak." She said. "What?" Cliffy asked again.

"I put the image of your arm into your head." Carrie began, "So, I put the image of a busy town into your mind and the minds of your friends."

"How?" Cliffy asked. "I-I don't know." Carrie said, she looked sad. "What's the matter?" He asked. "I'm dead." Carrie said.

"When my town turned into monsters, somehow, I did not when they did." She began. "But I slowly began changing, then I died."

"How?" Cliffy asked. "I don't know." Carrie said. "Changing?" Cliffy asked. "Yes." Carrie said, she sighed. "I'm sorry if I offend you, but do you really look like...this?" He asked. She shook her head slowly. "What do you really look like?" He asked.

"I-I can't show you." She said. "Why not." Cliffy asked. "Because I'll scare you." She said. "After everything I've been through, I don't think someone as nice as you could scare me." Cliffy said.

Carrie smiled shyly, Cliffy blushed. Carrie took a deep breath.

Carrie's skin turned green and parts turned to rot and her teeth stuck out through her skin.

"You're not scary, you're different." Cliffy said.

"Cliffy get away!" A voice screamed, Cliffy turned around as Daisy stood outside the Mystery Machine. "No! She's not dangerous!" Cliffy cried. Carrie stepped closer to Cliffy. "Cliffy!" Daisy cried. Daphne stood next to Daisy holding her gun.

"No! She's friendly!" Cliffy cried. "No!"

"Cliffy get away." Daisy said as Daphne held up the gun. "No!" Cliffy cried. "Cliffy." Carrie said again. Daphne pulled the trigger, Carrie blew up. "NO!" Cliffy screamed.

Daisy ran over to Cliffy and wrapped her arms around him. "Let's go." Bruce said as he put his head out of the van. "It's ok, Cliffy." Daisy said. "The monster has gone now, it can't hurt you anymore."

"She was my friend." Cliffy said.

They climbed into the Mystery Machine and sped away from the town.

"Where are we going now?" Damian asked. "There's a complex electrical base a few miles away, I can use their computers to find out more about the plague." Velma said. "Can't you do that from the laptop?" Barbara asked. "Unfortunately, no, the Project Elysium file didn't give enough information about the nanites." Velma said.

"So, where is this electrical base?" Daphne asked. "The closest one is back in Oregon." Velma said. "Where are the others?" Dick asked. "I don't know." Velma replied.


	10. Chapter 10

**10**

Barbara sat in the back of the Mystery Machine, "It's getting colder." She said. "Yeah, it's a good thing we found that store with all of these winter clothes before it started snowing." Dick said. "It was more like a happy accident." Barbara replied. "Hey like, I'm sorry I didn't mean t'crash into the store." Shaggy said.

"Well, if you hadn't we probably would be freezing now." Dick said.

"It's just there!" Velma exclaimed, pointing to a white building surrounded by a barbed wire fence. "Wow." Harley said.

"Who's coming with me?" Velma asked. "Like, I'll go with you." Shaggy said. "Ok, let's go, the rest of you stay here, this hopefully won't take too long." Velma said, Shaggy grabbed a gun and followed Velma into the building.

"I'm gonna make a snowman!" Harley exclaimed as she jumped out of the van. "I think we should stretch our legs." Bruce said. "Sitting down all that time isn't good."

Ivy and Daisy watched as Harley created her snowman, Daisy kept looking to the hill where Scooby sat with Cliffy.

"I still don't understand why Daphne killed Carrie, she was my friend." Cliffy said. "Rotect you." Scooby said. "I know she was, but Carrie didn't hurt me." Cliffy said. Scooby rested his head on Cliffy's leg.

"Shaggy clearly went with Velma to impress Daisy." Fred said, "Don't you think so Daph?"

"Uh-hu." She said, inattentively. "Are you listening to me?" He asked. "No." She said.

"What are you doing?" Fred asked as Daphne sat cross-legged in the back of the van with the laptop. "I want to find out what day it is." Daphne said. "Daph, we're in the middle of an apocalypse, I'm sure the day of the week is the least of our worries." Fred said.

"You wanna know something funny?" Daphne asked. "Sure." Fred said. "It's your Birthday." Daphne said. "What? My Birthday?" Fred asked. "Yep." Daphne replied. "Happy Birthday." She said.

"Thanks, I guess." He replied.

"Ow dude! That hurt!" Jason exclaimed. Fred looked out the window and saw Jason and Damian throwing snowballs at each other.

Shaggy climbed into the Mystery Machine. "What are you doing back?" Fred asked. "Let me guess, you got scared?" Daphne asked. "It's so dark in there!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Where's Velma?" Fred asked. "I told her t'wait by the doors until I came back with Daph." Shaggy said. "Alright." Daphne said as she grabbed her gun. "Let me come with you." Fred said. "No, we'll be fine. Stay here." Daphne said.

"But my leg is healed!" Fred exclaimed. "You'll be safe here." Daphne said. She and Shaggy walked into the building.

"Isn't he beautiful!" Harley exclaimed as she stared at the snowman. "What is that?" Cliffy asked as he and Scooby walked down from the hill. "His name is Eugene." Harley said. "Eugene?" Daisy asked. "Yes, Eugene." Harley said.

Ivy rolled her eyes. "Eugene the snowman?" Cliffy asked. "He's perfect isn't he!" Harley exclaimed.

"Bruce, can you imagine, if you had not become Batman?" Dick said. "You would not have created the Batcave and we would be dead now."

"That sent chills down my spine, Dick. I hadn't thought of it like that." Bruce said.

"Where's Velma? I thought you said she was waiting by the door." Daphne said. "She was when I left." Shaggy said. "She must have gone down to find the computer lab." Shaggy said.

Daphne groaned, "I'm gonna kill her" She exclaimed as they stepped into down into the building.

"Y'might not have to." Shaggy said as they walked into the lobby. Blood covered the floor and three dead monsters were lying on the ground, torn apart.

"Y'hear that noise?" Shaggy asked. As they walked around the corner, they heard a tapping noise. Daphne looked in the room where the sound was coming from. She suddenly looked angry, "What is it?" Shaggy whispered. Daphne stormed into the room and hit Velma across the back of her head. "Ow!" Velma exclaimed.

"You scared me!" She said. "I scared you?" Daphne exclaimed. "Shaggy told you to wait by the door until he got back, and you wondered into the abandoned building by yourself. You could have been killed!" Daphne exclaimed.

"I'm sorry." Velma said. "Don't do that." Daphne said, stubbornly. "What?" Velma asked. "Apologise, I'm not in the mood to forgive you yet." Daphne said. Shaggy rolled his eyes.

"Did y'see those beasties in the lobby?" Shaggy asked. "Yes, I did, I think the bigger one was the alpha and it killed one of the small ones first before it got into a fight to the death with the other." Velma said.

"Right, ok." Shaggy replied. "The blood hasn't dried yet, they haven't been dead long." Velma said.

"Have you found anything yet?" Daphne asked. "No, it would be so much easier if you both stopped talking and let me concentrate." Velma said. "Go and sit in the hall, I won't be long."

Daphne growled, Shaggy grabbed her arm, "Come on." He said pulling her into the hall, she sighed.

"Eugene looks lovely, don'tcha think." Harley said. "Fabulous." Ivy said. Barbara sat in the back of the Mystery Machine with the laptop. "What are you looking for Babs?" Bruce asked. "I just want to read through the Project Elysium files again in case Velma and I missed something." She said.

Everyone heard a growling, they looked at Scooby, but he was just as confused as the rest of them. It came from the trees. A branch snapped, figures walked through the trees behind them. A large group of monsters approached them.

"Get in the van!" Dick exclaimed. Jason jumped into the van and grabbed his gun. "Cliffy, get inside!" Daisy exclaimed. Fred jumped out of the van with a gun. "Damian, get in!" Bruce exclaimed.

Fred and Jason began shooting at the monsters, Harley pulled her gun out and fired at them too, one of them knocked down the snowman. "Eugene!" Harley screamed. "Alrigh' you bastards, now it's personal!" She grabbed another gun and opened fire on the monsters that surrounded them.

A tree suddenly came to life and started attacking some of the monsters, but they began fighting against the tree, one of them tore the branch off, the tree screamed, Ivy screamed as it threw the branch at her.

"What if Cliffy was right?" Shaggy asked sitting on the floor in the hallway, next to Daphne. "About what?" She asked. "What if that monster was friendly?" Shaggy asked. "A friendly monster?" She said sarcastically. "We have been fighting these things for months, when have any of the monsters every shown any kind of friendliness to us?"

"I guess you're right." Shaggy said. "There is somethin' else though." He said. "What?" Daphne asked. "Y'gotta stop babyin' Fred." Shaggy said. "What? I don't baby him." Daphne said.

"Yeah y'do." Shaggy said. "Back at the van, you told him t'stay so he'd be safe, in Washington you told him to stay with the van and when-"

"Alright, alright I get what you're saying!" She exclaimed. "But I don't baby him, I take care of him."

"And he takes care of you." Shaggy said. "Hey, since we met, we've all been takin' care of each other, funny how things happen, huh."

"You are hopefully optimistic, Shaggy." Daphne smiled. "And I love you for that."

"Gee, thanks Daph." He smiled. "Speaking of love, what about you and Daisy?" She asked. "What? What about me and Daisy?" He asked. "It's pretty obvious Shaggy. You're smitten." She said.

He sighed, "Alright ok, maybe I'm smitten a bit too much!" He exclaimed. "I think I'm going to propose!"

"Her husband died just a few weeks ago." Daphne said. "It's not like she liked him anyway." Shaggy said. "You know, you're right. Maybe you should wait a couple of days." Daphne said sarcastically. "What like Fred? He's been in love with you since you and him met, proposing to you for years and waitin' for you to come around." Shaggy said.

"Leave Fred out of this." Daphne said. "Let's go." Velma said, as she stepped out of the room. "Did you figure it out?" Daphne asked. "I'll tell you back at the van." Velma said. Daphne and Shaggy exchanged concerned looks.

As they stepped towards the van, they saw the bodies of the monsters lying on the ground, Fred, Daisy, Cliffy and Scooby stood outside the Mystery Machine.

"Zoinks!" Shaggy exclaimed. "What happened?" Daphne asked. "A group of monsters attacked us." Daisy said.

"What?" Velma asked. "Ivy's dead." Daisy said. "Ivy did that thing with the plants and a tree attacked the monsters, but then _they_ attacked her." Cliffy said.

Shaggy sighed, "Are the rest of you alright?" He asked. "Yes, we are." Daisy said. "Did you find anything in the base?" Fred asked.

Daphne and Shaggy looked at Velma. "There is no cure for the plague." Velma said. "I'm sorry everyone, there's nothing that can be done." Velma said.

"Wait what?" Fred asked. "I searched the computer and when I finally found what I was looking for, the results were unfortunate." Velma began. "There is no cure, or anything to reverse the nanites. All we can do, is try to survive."

"By running for the rest of our lives?" Cliffy asked. "I don't think so." Daphne said.

"Don't worry guys we'll come up with something." Fred said.

Barbara stepped out of the Mystery Machine, "Harley, wants to bury her." She said. "We have nothing to dig holes with." Shaggy said.

"Trees." Scooby said. "We could bury her in the leaves?" Cliffy suggested. "That's actually a good idea." Daisy said.

"I'll tell the others." Barbara said as she stepped back into the Mystery Machine.

"So, what do we do now?" Daphne asked. "After we bury Ivy, we should probably go and look for some supplies." Velma said. "Then we'll figure out what's best to do."

After they buried Ivy, they went to gather supplies from the town nearby.

The town they drove into had a strip of stores, the two that stuck out to the gang were the convenience store and the gun and weapon store.

Jason stood outside the Mystery Machine smoking, Harley sat in the back of the Mystery Machine and everyone else was in the convenience store.

Jason heard sobs from inside the Mystery Machine, he stomped on his cigarette and climbed into the van. "Hey, you ok?" He asked. Harley wiped her eyes, "Yeah, I suppose." She said.

"I'm sorry about Ivy." Jason said. "The love of my life died in the plague too."

"Who was she?" Harley asked. " _His_ name was Roy." Jason said, Harley looked at him. "I had been in love with him for months, I couldn't believe it when I found out he loved me too."

"You kinda keep yer feelin's t'yerself." Harley said, Jason nodded. "Ivy said she loved me 'cause I was open with my feelin's. She loved me." Harley said.

"We'll find a cure for the plague, Harley." Jason said. "But Velma said there was no cure fer the plague." Harley said. "I know she did, but I'm sure we will find a way." He said. Harley rested her head on his shoulder.

Dick stared at a packet of gummy bears he held in his hand, _Timmy loved gummy bears_ , he thought to himself, everyone else was gathering food and water and loading it into the van.

Daphne and Fred went into the gun and weapon store a few stores down. "I remember the last time we were in a gun store." Fred said. "When was that?" Daphne asked. "When we were investigating that creepy guy." He said. "Oh yeah, I remember. We arrested him for illegally hunting protected birds." Daphne said.

"I don't remember a time when we weren't investigating something weird or creepy." Fred said. "I did love our job though." Daphne said. "So, did I." Fred said, "Especially when it took us to different states, and when we moved to Washington." He said.

"I loved the pasta your mom made when we finished work, I really missed it when we moved." Daphne said. "Me too, but we were lucky enough to rent an apartment right next to the pizza joint." Fred said.

Harley and Jason enter the gun store and they help Fred and Daphne load the guns and ammunition into the Mystery Machine. As Jason goes back into the store, a bow and arrow displayed on the wall catches his eye and he thinks of the first time he and Roy teamed up.

"Jason?" Fred asked. "You ok, you kinda zoned out."

"Yeah, I'm fine." Jason said. "Let's get this stuff into the van."

"Velma, where do you think your other two brothers are?" Daisy asked. "Hugo, as you know, is dead, but I don't know where Quenton and Cheeves could be. But if you're thinking that if we find them, they can give us information on a cure for the plague, you're wrong." She said.

"Did you not think of creating any form of reversal for the nanites?" Bruce asked, stubbornly. "No, because I designed the nanites to with the intention to better the world, my brothers tampered with the nanites causing this chaos." Velma said.

"How do we know that for sure?" Bruce asked. "Bruce, the project Elysium file shows the design her brothers created." Barbara said. "But those are just words on a computer screen." Bruce said, "You're saying that you had not intended for things to end up the way they have, but how do we know you're telling the truth?" He asked.

"We _are_ going to find a cure for the plague, no matter how long it takes." Bruce said. "I'm sure we can try to work on a cure." Velma said. "My friends and family were mutated by the plague, and I can't go on thinking that one of them might have murdered Tim or Ivy, unless we try to find a cure." Bruce said.

"We will find a cure, but we must not argue with each other, or we'll get now where." Daisy said, stepping in. "I agree, we gotta have hope." Shaggy said.

Daphne, Fred, Harley and Jason walked into the store. "I think we have everything we need." Dick said. "Like, let's get this stuff into the van!" Shaggy exclaimed, holding a box of Twinkies.

Everyone climbed into the Mystery Machine, "I'll drive." Shaggy said, as he climbed into the front seat and turned the engine on, Harley climbed into the front passenger seat next to him and Scooby sat in between the two. Everyone else sat in the back, Cliffy sat next to Daisy, resting his head on her arm.

"So, were do we go next?" Jason asked. "We're gonna get outta this town, an' then we'll find somewhere t'go." Shaggy said.

"I think we should look for anything related to the Complex, then we can find out where the remaining of Velma's brothers are and find a cure for the plague." Bruce said. "Even if we did find them, Quenton and Cheeves are highly unlikely to give up any information." Velma said.

"Bruce is very good at persuading people to give up valuable information." Dick said. "It's worth a try, plus there are twelve of them and only two of them." Bruce said.

"Two of those twelve are children." Daphne pointed out. "I was a trained assassin by the age of seven." Damian said. "Well that's great but I don't think Cliffy has had experience murdering people." Daphne said, Damian rolled his eyes.

"We know that there might have been more survivors, so what happens if we find where her brothers are and when we turn up there's a bunch of people pointing guns at us?" Daphne asked.

"There's twelve of us now, but how long will it be before someone else is killed, and none of us are left?" Jason asked, everyone stared at him grimly.

Velma begins to rummage through a box, she pulled out a map and lays it out in front of everyone and then she grabbed a marker, Harley watched from the front seat.

"These are some of the possible locations where Quenton and Cheeves could be." Velma said. "Florida, California, Arizona and even back in Nevada." She dotted with the marker pen. "And then these are the locations owned by the Complex." She said as she dotted several dots across the map.

"Wow." Barbara said. "We should consider visiting some of these locations. Maybe we can find your brothers." Bruce said.

"We can't travel across the entire country looking for two people who may or may not be alive." Daphne said. "We will if we want to restore humanity." Bruce said.

"It's a more logical idea to go looking for the two people who were responsible for creating the plague than driving around with no idea where to go or what to do."

"Bruce, I agree with you, it makes sense to go looking for them, but we don't know where they are or if they're even alive. We'd be putting ourselves in more risk." Barbara said.

"I agree with them, Bruce. I'm sorry, but it's took risky." Dick said.

"D'you like gummy bears?" Harley asked. "Like sure." Shaggy said. "I used to live in Coney Island, and they had the best hot dogs in the world!" Harley exclaimed. "Like, I always wanted t'go t'Coney Island!" Shaggy exclaimed. "Like I used t'work in Burger Bar before I started at the Complex three years ago."

"Burger Bar was my favourite!" Harley exclaimed. "Until I moved t'Brooklyn, then I fell in love with the hot dogs at Coney Island!" She squealed. "And the pizzeria across the street was the best!"

"Wow, all this talkin' about food is makin' me hungry." She said, she climbed into the back, "Rummy bears." Scooby said, as he followed Harley into the back.

Harley sat next to Cliffy and shared a bag of gummy bears with him and Scooby. Daisy climbed into the front with Shaggy. "How are you doing, Shaggy?" She asked. "I'm like, ok." He said. "What about you? How are you holdin' up?"

"I'm ok, they're all arguing back there." Daisy said. "Like how's Cliffy?" Shaggy asked. "He's doing ok, he's with Harley." Daisy said.

"We'll be ok Daze." Shaggy said. "I know we will, but I'm not even sure we'll find a cure for this plague, but they all have hope." Daisy said.

"So, you gotta have hope too." Shaggy said.

"Ugh, I feel sick now." Harley said. "Ree roo." Scooby said.

Shaggy stopped the van, Harley jumped out of the van and threw up outside, Barbara climbed out and held her hair back. "Too many gummy bears, huh?" She asked. "Yeah." Harley said, before throwing up again.

"Look, there's a chemist over there." Velma said. "It would be wise to stock up on medical supplies."

"Good idea, all this arguing is giving me a headache." Dick said.

Everyone went into the chemist, Harley was still throwing up outside. "Let me guess, you ate a couple of bars of chocolate back in the convenience store when nobody was looking." Barbara said. "Gee, you are smart." Harley said.

"Here." Barbara said, handing Harley as tissue. "Thanks." Harley said, as she wiped her mouth. "Hehe, ya know what's funny? I used t'kick yer Batgirl ass, an' now yer holding my hair back whilst I puke." Harley giggles. "Yes, it's hilarious." Barbara said.

"Ivy used t'hold my hair when I threw up." Harley said. "You kinda remind me of her a bit."

"How?" Barbara asked. "The red hair an' the attitude." Harley said. "I don't have an attitude." Barbara said stubbornly, Harley rolled her eyes. "Come on, let's go help the others." Barbara said.

As they walked into the chemist, Harley's eyes widened when she saw a large jar of lollypops. "I call dibs!" She exclaimed as she took the jar off the counter.

Daphne and Velma took several first aid kits off the shelves and Daisy and Cliffy loaded them into the van whilst the others looked through the shelves filled with medicine behind the counter.

"I'm taking this rubbing alcohol." Jason said, putting a bottle in his pocket.

"Like, I gotta go t'the bathroom." Shaggy said. "I suppose there's one around the back somewhere." Damian said.

"I think it would be a good idea if we all went." Daisy said. Velma decided to unpack the first aid kits into the floor compartment of the Mystery Machine, so they wouldn't take up so much space, Jason and Harley stood outside the van smoking, whilst everyone else went to the bathroom.

Bruce came back to the Mystery Machine, he stares at Jason, smoking the cigarette. "What?" Jason asked. "YOLO." Harley said. "Considering the circumstances, I think that's a fair statement." Jason said, handing Bruce a cigarette, he takes it.

Barbara returns from the bathroom, "You guys better go to the bathroom, we don't know when we'll next find one." She said. Harley took a final smoke on the cigarette before handing it to Barbara. "And what am I supposed to do with this?" She asked. "You put it in yer mouth an' then ya smoke on it." Harley said.

"You can't be goody-two-shoes all your life, Babs, considering you might not have long left." Jason said. "Jason." Bruce said, sternly. "Oh alright." Barbara said, she took the cigarette from Harley, who skipped off to the bathroom. Barbara took a smoke of the cigarette, coughed and then stomped on it. "That is disgusting, and I am never doing that again!" She exclaimed, Jason laughed before taking a final smoke and stomping on his cigarette, then he walked off to the bathroom.

"How are you holding up, Barbara?" Bruce asked. "Good, well considering everything. What about you, how are you Bruce?" She asked. "I'll be fine once we find a cure for this plague." Bruce said. "We will." Barbara said, "I promise."

"Like, I'll drive." Shaggy said as he came back to the Mystery Machine and climbed into the front seat.

The others returned to the van, Dick and Damian were the last to come back, but they were arguing. "It's not my fault they smelt!" Dick exclaimed. "I wasn't saying it was, _Grayson_. I was saying that the bathrooms smelt!" Damian snapped. "And what do you want me to do about it? Hire a mutated cleaner?" Dick said. "Shut up or I'll drag you back into the bathroom and stick your head in the toilet!" Damian exclaimed.

When everyone came back from the bathroom, Bruce stomped on his cigarette and closed the door.


	11. Chapter 11

**11**

Daisy woke up in the back of the Mystery Machine, Cliffy was lying asleep next to her. As she sat up she noticed that Fred, Daphne, Scooby and Velma were also sleeping. She quickly realised the van was moving, but where were the others? "Wake up!" She exclaimed, "Wake up!"

They began to stir, "What's going on?" Daphne asked. "I don't know." Daisy said. "I don't remember going to sleep." Velma said. "Mornin' sleepin' beauties!" A recognisable voice came from the front. "Harley?" Fred asked. "Raggy!" Scooby exclaimed, realising Shaggy wasn't there. "He's here." Harley said. "What's going on?" Fred asked. "Where is everyone else?" Cliffy asked.

"When I was finished in the bathroom, I found a candy machine, which I smashed open, I came back ta the van but Brucie an' the others were gone an' you were all asleep, so I decided ta drive." Harley said. "What's this?" Velma asked, picking up a piece of paper which was lying on the floor next to her.

"It's from Bruce." She said, as she opened it up. "It says: _'I am sorry to leave you behind, but I am going to find the two brothers responsible for this plague and I am going to find a way to reverse it. I mixed some medicines from the chemist and used them to make a kind of knock-out 'gas' which I put into the back of the van. I have taken Jason, Barbara, Dick and Damian with me, I couldn't leave them behind, I have also taken the map marked with the Complex locations and some guns and ammunition. – Bruce."_

"That son of a bitch!" Daphne exclaimed, as she looked into the box which stored the ammunition, she realised that half of it was gone. "What do we do now?" Cliffy asked. "I know somewhere we can go, we're en route now!" She exclaimed, happily. "Where are you taking us?" Daisy asked. "Brooklyn, my home!" Harley exclaimed. "Whereabouts, are we?" Velma asked. "We entered Nebraska 'bout an hour ago." Harley said. "How long have we been asleep?" Fred asked. "I dunno, but it's been a long time." Harley replied.

Fred looked out the window and realised they were driving through a town, "Harley can you stop for a minute?" He asked. "Sure, I gotta pee anyway." She said, as the van came to a stop.

They walked into a small café across the road from the Mystery Machine and went into the bathroom. Shaggy and Scooby went into the kitchen and found a tub of ice cream.

The gang stood outside the Mystery Machine, the door was open, and Shaggy sat on the step eating a tub of ice cream and spoon feeding some to Scooby, Daphne, Fred and Harley leant against the van, Daphne drinking a bottle of whisky which she found in the store across the road. "We're going to have to find some more ammunition." She said, sipping the whisky. "I got some back at my place in Brooklyn." Harley said.

"It's a long way from here to Brooklyn," Fred said, "I we get attacked again, we won't have much of a chance with what we've got."

"We'll have t'find a gun store or somethin' on the way." Shaggy said. "Even if we find a home store, we'll find some knives." Daisy said, standing next to Shaggy.

About half an hour later, they got back into the Mystery Machine, Daisy got into the driver's seat and Daphne and Harley sat in the front with her. "I got somethin' ta tell ya, Daze." Harley said, sneakily.

"What is it?" Daisy asked. "Shaggy told me he's in love with you." Harley giggled. "He does not, you're crazy, Harley." Daisy replied. "The last part is true," Harley admitted, "But Shaggy loves you!" Harley giggled.

"It's true." Daphne said, taking a sip of the whisky. "Well, Fred is in love with you." Daisy said. "Is that supposed ta surprise me?" Harley asked, "Everyone knows that."

Daisy looked into the back and watched Shaggy and Scooby eating the ice cream, and Velma watched them, then Daisy watched Fred and Cliffy as they sat int the back next to each other. "It's a good thing we found Cliffy before those monsters did." Daisy said. "I kinda feel bad fer him, the monsters took his arms an' his family, an' they took my Ivy too." Harley said.

"Cliffy loves you, Daisy." Daphne said, sipping the whisky, "Sometimes I feel like he's my son." Daisy said. "Maybe ya the only person Cliff can find solace with." Harley said. "I didn't know you knew such big words." Daphne said, taking another sip of the whisky. "I'll have you know, I used ta be a doctor, but I'll let that one slide ya clearly drunk." Harley snapped. "Not quite." Daphne said.

"Daze, ya seem like a nice lady an' maybe that's why Cliff loves ya, or maybe ya remin' him o'his mom?" Harley said.

Meanwhile in the desert just outside of Las Vegas, Nevada

"Goddamit, Bruce!" Jason exclaimed as he pounded his fist against the side of the pickup truck. "Calm down, Jason." Bruce said. "How can I calm down?" Jason screamed, "You drugged us, kidnapped us and separated us from the others!"

"We should go back to the others Bruce," Dick began, "We'll be safer."

"No, if we carry out my plan then we can help." Bruce said. Damian sighed, "He has a point." He said, "If we find the two brothers or even find something that relates to the virus, then it's better than doing nothing." Dick sighed, "Where do we start?" He said. "You're not actually going along with this, are you?" Jason asked, angrily. "Jay, it's better than doing nothing." Barbara said, "At least we'll be doing something."

Jason sighed in defeat, "Alright."

Bruce rolled out the map which he took from the Mystery Machine, he pointed at a location on the map, "This one is the closest." Bruce said.

 **Brooklyn, New York**

After days of driving, the gang finally arrived in Coney Island. Harley slowly, but not carefully, drove the Mystery Machine through the street, it was usually spacious but there were a lot of cars parked on the roadside and others in the middle of the road.

Windows throughout the street were smashed and glass lay over the ground, doors hanging off their hinges and shreds of clothing and bits of rubbish ghosted across the streets.

The Mystery Machine stopped on the side of the road outside of an apartment building. "Baby I'm home!" Harley exclaimed, "I had these best years o'my life here!" She jumped out the van, everyone followed her. "It's good ta be back!" She exclaimed.

"Stop shouting, something will here you." Velma snapped. "Hey!" An unfamiliar voice called, the gang exchanged looks, none of them had shouted. "Here!" The voice called again, they turned around and faced one of the other apartment buildings, where a man stood on the doorstep holding a gun.

"Now you've done it." Velma said. "Hey, you said some _thing_ , I see some _one._ " Harley said. "Is it a real person?" Cliffy asked, as the gang stared at the man who was now waving his arm at them. "I think so." Daisy said. "Come inside! Hurry up!" The man shouted. "I don't think that's such a good idea." Daisy said, lowering her voice.

"He's the only real person we've seen since Bruce and the others left." Daphne said. "Or those people in Halcyon." Shaggy said. "Those people were just a projection of a child's imagination." Velma said.

"The last person we've seen was that man in the hospital." Daphne said, remembering when she and Shaggy witnessed a monster torturing a poor man trapped in a hospital bed, his last few moments still gave Daphne chills.

"What man?" Harley asked, Daphne ignored her, "We should speak to him." She said. "Enough with the yappin', hurry up!" The man shouted, once again. They approach the building and the man tells them to go through into the basement.

"If he kills us, I'll blame you." Velma whispered to Daphne. "If he kills us, you'll be glad to be dead and away from this nightmare." Daphne replied.

The gang stepped down into the basement, the man followed them in and slammed the door behind them, putting two cinder blocks up against the door.

Harley suddenly gasped, "Tolsie!" She exclaimed, standing in the room was one of Harley's friends, Red Tool, Harley ran into his arms. "Harley? I thought you were dead?" He asked. "No, I was with Ivy, but she's dead now." Harley said sadly. "Is everyone else here?" She asked. "No." Red Tool said.

Harley stared at him. "The guys suddenly started screaming, then the screams turned into growls. And then they started growing and they turned into monsters, I ran into the basement and barricaded the door. I figured they gave up because then next thing I knew, Joe found me." Red Tool said.

Daphne suddenly looked suspiciously at the man who'd found the on the street, and then back at Red Tool, _how had he survived the nanite activation?_ She asked herself.

"Joe?" Harley began, "Hey, I know you. You ran that hog dog stand on Coney!" Harley exclaimed. "I did." The man, named Joe, said. "How come you aren't dead?" Daphne asked. "Yeah, like how come you didn't get transformed by the nanite plague?" Shaggy asked. "I don't know." Joe said. "How come you aren't dead?" He asked. "It's a long story." Fred said.

"How did you find him?" Daphne asked, suspiciously. "I was livin' in this apartment buildin', when the monsters attacked I managed to get to the top o'the buildin'. I don't think they like heights." Joe said.

"Then, I hoped to find survivors, Red Tool here, was the only one who survived the last few weeks." Joe said. "You mean there were more?" Fred asked. "Yeah, I found a few of 'em in the other apartment buildin', Red Tool was the last one I found, the others all died, a few kids couldn't keep up an' the monsters caught up to 'em, some people killed themselves t'get away from the beasts." Joe said.

"How long have you been down here?" Daisy asked. "Since the monsters startin' attackin' Coney." Joe said.

Daphne continued to stare at him suspiciously. "Like, what do we do now?" Shaggy asked. "Stay here." Joe said. Daphne notices guns laid out on a shelf, "Do you have anymore of those?" She asked pointing at the shelf. "Nope, that's all I got." Joe said.

"I got some in a box unner my bed." Harley said. "But it's not safe." Joe said. "He's right, I haven't been in the building since Joe rescued me." Red Tool said.

"Have we got any more weapons in the Mystery Machine?" Daisy asked, "No, we used it on the way here." Shaggy said. "Besides it's too dangerous." Fred said, sternly. "Well we won't survive with these." Daphne said, motioning to the very few weapons they had. "We should go get them."

"Well, I'll go with you." Fred said. "No." Daphne said, "I need you to stay here with the others."

"No." Fred said, stubbornly. "I'll go with Shaggy, Scooby and Harley, but I need _you_ to stay here, I know you'll keep everyone safe, please Fred." Daphne said, he nodded.

"I'll go with you." Red Tool said, "Me too." Joe said, he began to load the guns and gave them to Harley, the others prepared to go to back to the Mystery Machine.

"Hey, didn't they used ta call ya Crazy Joe?" Harley asked. "They sure did." Joe smiled, as he loaded his gun. "Crazy Joe?" Cliffy asked, "He used to talk to seagulls." Red Tool whispered to Cliffy.

"Why won't you let me go with you? Don't you trust me?" Fred asked. "I trust you to get everyone to safety, I wouldn't trust anyone else." Daphne said. "But you don't trust me enough to go with you?" He asked. "I do trust you, but I'd never forgive myself if anything happened to you." Daphne said. "I promise I'll keep them safe, but if you're not back at the Mystery Machine in half an hour, I'm coming to look for you." Fred said. "An hour?" Daphne asked. "Fine, an hour." Fred said.

"You guys are going into a building, which is probably filled with monsters, with a man called Crazy Joe." Daisy whispered as she stepped towards Daphne and Fred. "We'll be fine." Daphne said. "Let's go."

The gang, Red Tool and Joe climbed the stairs and to the front door.

They ran across the street to the Mystery Machine; Daphne, Joe and Shaggy kept an eye out as the others climbed in. Fred climbed into the front seat and the others stayed in the back. "If you hear any gun fire start the engine, in case we need to go quickly." Daphne said, Fred nodded.

"I remember Big Tony said he a stash of ammunition in the basement." Red Tool said. "I'm going to go upstairs to get my weapons." Harley said. "I'll come with you." Shaggy said, "Me too." Joe said. "I'll go with Red Tool to find the ammunition." Daphne said.

"Ok, let's go." Shaggy said.

"Daph, one hour." Fred said, she nodded. They entered the building through the basement door. "Is an hour going to be long enough for them?" Cliffy asked as he climbed in the front next to Fred. "I said half an hour, but Daph wanted longer." Fred said.

Harley, Shaggy and Joe climbed the stairs to Harley's bedroom, as they walked across the second floor, they smelt a horrible smell. "Ugh! Like, what's that?" Shaggy asked. "I used ta have thirty plus animals livin' in here." Harley said. "It sure smells like it." Joe said.

Down in the basement, Daphne, Scooby and Red Tool looked for the box of ammunition Big Tony had hidden in the basement. "How sure are you that Big Tony hid the ammunition in the basement?" Daphne asked. "He used to put everything down here, because none of the others came down here, and he told me he put it in here." Red Tool said.

"Why are you dressed like that?" Daphne asked, as she stared at him wearing his red and black suit with the hammer shape in the face mask. "It's comfortable." Red Tool said.

"I know how you feel about Joe, I was suspicious when I met him too, but he kept me safe since this madness started." Red Tool said, "So how did you guys survive since these monsters attacked?" He asked.

"Velma's brothers made the virus, Velma had me, Fred, Shaggy and Scooby in the safe zone of a complex when the nanites were activated, we found Harley, Bruce Wayne and the others, then we found Daisy and Cliffy and we've just been trying to survive since. But one of Bruce's boy died." Daphne said. "Bruce Wayne?" Red Tool asked, "Should have known a billionaire would survive."

"So, what did you do before the apocalypse?" Red Tool asked, as he looked through the boxes on the shelves. "Fred and I used to work together, we were investigators." Daphne said. "Have you known him long?" Red Tool asked, "Nearly six years." Daphne said.

"What did you do before the apocalypse?" Daphne asked. "I used to work with Harley, stopping crime throughout Coney Island." Red Tool said.

Upstairs, Harley, Joe and Shaggy crept into Harley's bedroom, she pulled out a box from under her bed, it was filled with weapons. She stepped back as Shaggy and Joe rummaged through the box, Harley stepped over to her wardrobe, she changed her outfit whilst the others weren't looking.

When she changed out of her torn, dirty clothes and into a clean outfit, she pushed the clothes in the wardrobe to one side and reached for a button in the back of the wardrobe. The clothes were lowered down and replaced with a "wardrobe" loaded with weapons; guns, explosives, mallets and hammers.

She loaded her arms up with the weapons and put the explosives into a small bag she'd left on the floor, months ago.

"I think is all we'll be able to carry." Joe said, with his arms filled with guns, Shaggy's also. Joe leads the way back downstairs, as they got to the kitchen and were about to enter the basement, they heard a noise. Daphne, Red Tool and Scooby heard it too, and they came up to the kitchen.

"What's that?" Red Tool asked. "It sounds like a whimpering." Daphne said. "Rog?" Scooby asked. "Nathan?" Harley asked as a Dachshund stepped around from behind the kitchen door. "Nathan!" Harley exclaimed as she stepped towards him, Daphne grabbed her arm. "What?" Harley asked, "It's my baby!"

"We've been fooled once before." Daphne said. Three more dogs came out from behind the door, followed by two more, then four more. "Like, what do they want?" Shaggy asked. "We'll they probably haven't eaten in months." Daphne said.

"My babies won't eat me." Harley said, the dogs suddenly looked at each other, "They're considering it." Daphne said.

Suddenly the dogs started to come together, and they made one big dog.

In the Mystery Machine, Cliffy sat in the back with Daisy and Velma. "What was that?" Daisy asked, "It sounded like a roar." Velma said. "Or a bark." Cliffy added. "Hmm, it certainly sounds different to other roars we've heard." Velma said.

"Where did it come from?" Fred asked, as he looked out the window. "It sounded like it came from inside the house." Cliffy said, then they heard gun fire, it stopped after a few seconds. "Fred, start the engine." Daisy said, Fred started the engine and Daisy stood up by the back door and looked out the window. "What's going on?" Cliffy asked.

Daisy slowly reached for the door handle and pushed the door open, Daphne Shaggy, Scooby, Red Tool and a crying Harley jumped into the back of the Mystery Machine. "Drive Fred!" Shaggy exclaimed, slamming the door behind him. "Where's Joe?" Cliffy asked. Daphne climbed into the front next to Fred.

"He's dead." Shaggy said.


	12. Chapter 12

NYU, New York

Shaggy and Velma stood outside NYU, staring up at the building, "So this is where Daph and the Fredster came t'university, huh." Shaggy said. "Hmm, I went to Ivy League." Velma said, Shaggy rubbed his beard. Scooby and Cliffy sat on a bench nearby, they were eating the last bag of gummy bears.

Fred and Daphne were leaning against the front of the Mystery Machine, they looked up at the building where they first met over six years ago. "Why did you bring us here?" Daphne asked. "It was the first place I thought of." Fred said.

Daphne sighed.

"Daph, whatever happened to Joe, wasn't your fault." Fred said. "It was my idea to go to Harley's apartment and get the weapons." Daphne said, guiltily. "But Joe offered to go with you." Fred said. "This is exactly why I didn't want you to come with me!" She exclaimed.

 _The dog monster roared, and it towered over them, "My babies!" Harley exclaimed. Joe pulled the trigger and opened fire on the monster, but the bullets only grazed the it, and the monster slashed its giant paws across Joe's body. "Joe!" Red Tool exclaimed._

 _Daphne and Shaggy opened fire on the monster, until it was down. But what was left was not the body of a giant dog monster, but the bodies of the little dogs that had made it. "NO!" Harley screamed, "NO!"_

 _Red Tool rushed to Joe's side, "Joe!" He exclaimed. "Go." Joe mumbled. "What?" Red Tool asked, "Go, get outta here-" His body went limp and he was dead._

"We knew the monsters had special abilities." Daisy said as she and Red Tool stepped towards them. "But those monsters pretended to be Harley's dogs, they pretended to be innocent but then they created a giant beast." Red Tool said.

"So, what do we do now?" Fred asked. "It's nine of us verses a whole planet of monsters, what _can_ we do?" Red Tool asked.

"Remember back in Washington and those monsters followed a signal?" Daphne asked. "Maybe if we make a signal, we can lure them here-"

"And kill them." Red Tool finished. Daphne nodded. "That's a good idea, but those monsters were following a signal from a giant monster." Daisy said, "How do we make a signal for them to follow?" Daisy asked.

"Velma!" Daphne shouted. "Come here."

"You really think she'll know how to make a signal?" Red Tool asked, "It's worth a shot." Daisy said.

"What?" Velma asked as she and Shaggy stepped towards the gang, Scooby and Cliffy followed behind them. Daphne told Velma her idea, Velma agreed that it was good idea.

"We might not be able to make a signal similar to the one the monsters followed, but we can make a signal that they _might_ follow." Velma said. "How?" Red Tool asked. "Is there a radio station, or a satellite station anywhere?" Velma asked.

"There's a radio station on campus." Fred said, "We'll send the signal nationally and tell the monsters to come here." Velma said. "Tell them?" Red Tool asked, "Are they really gonna know where to go?" He asked.

"They are smart." Daisy said. "Smart is an understatement, after what we've seen them do, we can say they're extremely intelligent." Velma said.

"And what makes you think they don't know we're lurin' them t'their deaths?" Shaggy asked. "We've been running from them for over a year, is this really going to be the end of this?" Daisy asked. "Probably not." Daphne said. "But we can only try." Fred said.

 **In the abandoned city of Lakewood, Colorado**

"Get back!" Bruce exclaimed as he shielded Barbara, Dick, Jason and Damian. Jason tried to fire his gun, but it was jammed, he growled and threw it to the floor. They were pinned against a pickup truck.

"Tell me what I want t'know!" A loud voice roared. "We told you, we don't know!" Barbara exclaimed. "We left them days ago!" Dick exclaimed.

"Tell me where Scooby-Doo is!" Scrappy Doo roared.

"We left them in Nevada!" Jason shouted. Scrapped growled as he ran off.

"We should follow him." Damian said. "And why would we do that?" Jason asked. "He's going to find Scooby-Doo, the others might still be with him. We haven't had much luck since we left them."

"He's right." Barbara said. "Jason was almost killed in that building, Bruce."

Bruce sighed, "Alright, get in the truck." He said as he climbed into the pickup truck, and they follow Scrappy, who realised he was being followed.

"First you're tryin' t'run from me, now ya tryin' t'follow me." He said, "Are ya finally gonna give up Scooby's location?" He asked. "We don't know where he is, but we'll help you find him." Bruce said.

"Why are ya suddenly helpin' me?" He asked. "Because we need help too." Barbara said.

"So where do we look first?" Dick asked. "If they're still with Harley, they'll be in Brooklyn, or near Brooklyn." Barbara said. "How do you know that?" Damian asked. "That's where she used to live when she wasn't in Gotham." Barbara said. "How do you know she hasn't gone back to Gotham?" Dick asked.

"Because the Joker and Ivy are dead." Jason said. "I agree, let's go to Brooklyn." Bruce said.

"So, will you fit in the pickup truck?" Jason asked. "Is that supposed t'be a joke, kid?" Scrappy asked.

 **NYU, New York**

Velma, Daisy and Cliffy were in the radio station, Velma was working on the signal. Harley and Red Tool were outside keeping an eye on the Mystery Machine and Daphne, Fred, Shaggy and Scooby searched the university for any monsters, they decided to split up; Daphne and Fred checked one side of the campus and Shaggy and Scooby checked the other.

"Hey, we had film studies in there!" Fred exclaimed as he pointed to a classroom, the door was hanging off the hinges. "I remember." Daphne replied.

"And down the hall and to the left is where you first asked me to marry you." She said. "I remember." Fred smiled.

On the other side of the campus, Shaggy and Scooby wondered around the halls, "NYU is a nice university," Shaggy said, "Y'know if ya take away the debris an' all." He and Scooby carefully walked around the campus, avoiding broken glass and stepping over larger debris.

"I studied animal behaviour at college, before I got a job at Burger King, and then the Complex hired me." Shaggy said, "Rnd rhen rou ret re." Scooby said. "Rnd raved re rom Rappy."

Shaggy patted Scooby's head, "And you've been my best friend since day one." Shaggy replied.

"Hey c'on Harley, cheer up a little, your dogs are outta their misery now." Red Tool said as Harley sat sulking on the steps of the Mystery Machine. "There was nothin' you could'a done."

Harley sighed, "I suppose y'right." She said. "But I jus' feel bad that I couldn't help em." She said. "I know," Red Tool began, "But now y'can save what's left of the world."

"Y'right Toolsie, an' I can avenge my babies, and Ivy." Harley said. "And the gang." Red Tool said.

Harley sighed again, "What?" Red Tool asked. "I suddenly got a funny feelin'" She said. "What about?" Red Tool asked. "Brucie an' the boys." She said.

"Daph, can I ask you something?" Fred asked, Daphne stared at him, she knew what he was going to say, and the answer was no. "If you're going to ask me what I _know_ you're going to ask me, then no." She said.

"How do you know what I was going to say?" Fred asked. "I know you Fred." She began, "And we've known each other for nearly seven years, and there hasn't been a day in a month when you haven't asked me to marry you."

"Just think about it, Daphne." Fred said, "You and me together, we've already been together for years."

"No, Fred." She said, firmly. "Daphne. This is going to be the last time I ask you." He said. "No, it's not." Daphne said, "If you ask me now you'll ask me again in an hour."

"No, I'm serious this time." Fred said, sternly. Daphne stared at him, she noticed the tone of his voice changed. "This is going to be the last time I ask you, the answer is yes or no, but I won't ask you again." He said, taking a deep breath, "Daphne Ann Blake, will you marry me?" He asked.

Daphne stepped closer to him, Fred looked into her eyes, he couldn't tell if she was angry or annoyed, "Yes." She said, before turning away and carrying on down the hall.

"Wait what?" Fred asked, catching up with her. "What did you say?" He asked. "I said 'yes'." Daphne replied calmly. "Yes?" Fred asked, slightly confused. "Yes." Daphne said stubbornly. "You're not joking, are you?" He asked.

"No, I'm not joking," She snapped, "I love you."

"I'm going to cry." Fred said, Daphne rolled her eyes, but she couldn't stop smiling.

Shaggy stopped walking, "Rhat?" Scooby asked. "Something…doesn't feel right. Like a glitch in the matrix" Shaggy said.

"Did anyone else feel that?" Cliffy asked, standing next to Daisy and Velma in the radio station. Daisy groaned, "You know, I kind of did."

"Me too." Velma said.

* * *

 **Sorry for the short chapter, I've been away and haven't had a proper chance to work on this chapter, hope you're enjoying it though! :)**


	13. Chapter 13

13

"Hey look." Daphne said, as they approached a door which was handing off its hinges, Daphne noticed the name plate hanging off the door. "It's the door to the basement." She said.

"We're not going down there are we?" Fred asked. "Yep." Daphne replied. "But we just got engaged and I don't was us to die before we get married." Fred said, nervously.

"We won't die." Daphne said, "I won't let that happen." Fred smiled, "I know." He said.

Daphne held out her hand, "Come on." She said, Fred quickly took her hand and she led him into the basement, her gun held tightly.

As they stepped into the basement, all seemed quiet until Daphne heard a noise, and three monsters came out from behind the staircase, she and Fred opened fire on them.

"Like, did you hear that, Scoob?" Shaggy asked. "Round rike run rire." Scooby said. "It could be Fred and Daphne, or Harley and Red Tool." Shaggy said. "Rhey'll re rine, rhey rave each other." Scooby said, reassuringly.

Harley and Red Tool also heard the gunfire, "Someone could be hurt." Harley exclaimed. "Harl, we need to stay with the Mystery Machine, and keep watch for any monsters." Red Tool says, Harley takes a deep breath, she knows he's right, but she wants to help the others. "I've known these people fer months an' if anythin' happens ta any of 'em an' I didn't help 'em…." She sighed. "I know, Harley." Red Tool said.

Back in the basement, Daphne and Fred stand with smoking guns surrounded by a dozen bodies of the monsters they had killed.

"Ok, we should get out of here, and back to the others. There could be more of them down here." Daphne said. "Words of caution from Daphne Blake?" Fred asked, jokingly, Daphne smiles, "I want to be _alive_ for our wedding, so we should ge- Fred move!" She screamed, pushing him out of the way she opened fire on a monster who creeped up behind him. She kills it instantly.

"See what I mean." She said. "If you hadn't, I would have killed me." Fred said. Daphne quickly pressed her lips against his. Fred isn't startled, slightly surprised that it happened sooner than he expected, but he knew they'd have to kiss at some point during their wedding, and marriage.

Daphne cupped his face in her hands, his hand found her hair and his other hand wrapped around her, she smiled as she felt his hand on her back. They had kissed before, but this one felt different to Daphne, maybe because they were getting married, but it felt better than the other times.

She slowly pulled away, they both smiled at each other. "We should probably get back upstairs and check the rest of the building." Daphne said, Fred nodded.

"I think I've finally got it." Velma exclaimed, "When the others get back we'll be ready to signal it."

It was another 10 minutes before Daphne, Fred, Shaggy and Scooby returned to the radio station, Velma told them that the signal was ready.

Outside, Harley and Red Tool heard a noise coming from inside the van, Harley stepped inside. It sounded like radio interference. "Harley Quinn and Red Tool, hurry to the radio station."

"It sounds like Velma." Red Tool said. "What if it's a trick?" Harley asked. "Well she was working on the signal, maybe she cracked it and wants us back." Red Tool suggested. Harley looked at the gun in her hand and knife in her pocket, she was ready for anything. "Alright, let's go." She said.

As they jumped out of the van, they heard radio interference all around them, coming from cars parked nearby and some of the apartment buildings around the university. They hurried to the radio station, Harley had her gun ready in case something happened on the way.

But nothing did happen, and they arrived safely to the radio station. "Alright, so the signal worked." Velma said. "Now let's lure the monsters here." She said, pressing a few buttons on the control panel.

"Perhaps we should go outside, we can see what's happenin' out there." Shaggy said. "That's a good idea." Daisy said. "Cliffy, you stay in here with Velma."

"What? No, I want to come with you!" Cliffy exclaimed. "No, you're staying here, it's too dangerous for you." Daisy said. "Alright, fine." Cliffy said, slumping in the chair next to Velma.

The gang left, Velma locked the door behind them before returning to the control panel. She put the key in her coat pocket so Cliffy wouldn't try and take it. "They'll come back for us once it's over." Velma said. "What if they don't come back?" Cliffy asked. Velma thought for a moment, anything can happen out there, "They will, we've survived this long." She said.

As the gang stepped outside, Red Tool threw a gun to Daisy, "Thought this might come in handy." He said. "Thanks." Daisy smiled. "Do you know how it works?" Daphne asked. Daisy scoffed, laughing, "Of course I do."

"Alright then." Shaggy said.

They heard a noise in the distance, Fred looked at Daphne, who was holding her gun tightly. "If anything happens, I love you." She said to him. "I love you too." He replied.

Fred looked at Shaggy who was looking at Daisy, Shaggy caught Fred looking at him out the corner of his eye. "Hey, Daze." He began. "I know, Shaggy." Daisy said. "We'll talk when this is over." She said. "Wait what?" He asked.

The sound of car tyres screeching on the road was coming closer and closer, then a pick-up truck skidded to in front of them, followed by a beast. The gang pointed their guns at it. "Wait a minute." Shaggy said. "I think that's-"

"Brucie?" Harley asked. Bruce Wayne jumped out of the pick-up truck, followed by Jason, Barbara, Dick and Damian. "And Scrappy?" Daphne asked.

"What are you guys doin' here?" Shaggy asked. "Miss us already?" Daisy asked. Barbara looked at Bruce, "Yes we did." She said, elbowing Bruce. He cleared his throat, "I'm sorry I left you, but I had to do it for my boys." Bruce said.

"Hey, save the reunion for later, I can smell something." Scrappy said, as he sniffed around, Scooby smelt it too. "Rhey're roming." He said. "They're coming." Scrappy repeated.

A horde of monsters stomped down the road, as they came closer and closer to the gang they broke out into a sprint. Jason, Dick and Barbara pulled out their guns and began to open fire along with the gang, Jason threw a gun to Bruce.

Damian, however, pulled out a samurai sword. "Where did he get that from?" Harley asked, as she fired at the monsters. "He stole it from a weapon store we past a few days ago." Barbara exclaimed.

The horde was becoming bigger and bigger, Daphne stayed close to Fred and they fired at the monsters. Shaggy opened fire at the monsters, also keeping an eye on Scooby and Scrappy who were ripping monsters to shreds.

Damian's samurai sword tore through the monsters, satisfied with his weapon, he went on killing the beasts.

Half an hour past and the gang weren't sure if they were going to make it to the end of this battle, the horde was as big as it was when the fight began, none of them had been injured yet but they were running out of ammunition, and quickly.

Harley threw her knife to Daisy when she ran out of ammunition first, then Jason's gun was empty, then Barbara's, Shaggy's, Red Tool's, followed by the rest of the gang's. All they could do was use the empty guns against the monsters. Damian still had his samurai sword, but what was one 13-year-old boy against a horde of monsters?

Then suddenly there was a roaring sound from above them, the gang looked up. It was a helicopter, and it had a machine gun inside it. The machine gun opened fire on the unexpected monsters. The gang took cover from the machine gun, it gave them enough time to hurry to the Mystery Machine and reload their guns, and when they returned to the battle it was noticeable that the horde had become smaller, not by much but it gave them hope.

They began to open fire on the monsters again, and much to their disbelief, the fight was soon over. Though it was a lot of monsters that were killed, they knew it wasn't all of the monsters in the world, they still had a lot of work to do, but successfully killing this huge horde gave them hope.

The helicopter landed on the campus ground, in a small spot that wasn't covered in dead monsters.

A man stepped out of the helicopter and took his helmet off, he had brown hair and brown eyes, and a moustache. "Who are you?" Harley asked. "My name is David, we heard your gunfire and followed it here, we have been following these monsters for months." David said. "We?" Shaggy asked.

"Me and a few of the survivors." David said.

"How many survivors are there?" Daisy asked.

"About one hundred." David said.


	14. Chapter 14

**_14_**

After returning to the radio station to retrieve Velma and Cliffy, the gang plus Bruce, Dick, Damian, Barbara, Jason and Scrappy Doo followed the helicopter in the Mystery Machine. Scrappy followed behind the van because there wasn't enough room. "What if he disappears again?" Cliffy asked.

"He won't." Shaggy said. "How do you know?" Cliffy asked. "Rappy needs us." Scooby said.

"I'm so glad you're all ok!" Daisy exclaimed. "How long did it take ya ta realise ya needed us?" Harley asked, she sat opposite Bruce and stared at him as if she was interrogating him like a police officer.

Bruce didn't say anything, "Almost straight away." Barbara said. "We had no idea where to go or what to do." Dick said. "You took the map I marked with the Complex locations." Velma said. " _Grayson_ lost it." Damian said, glaring at Dick. "We were being _chased_ by a horde of monsters which almost _killed_ Jason." Dick replied.

"So, are we going to tell everyone we're engaged?" Fred asked, sitting next to Daphne who was driving the Mystery Machine. "Not yet, keep your voice down or they'll hear us." Daphne said quietly. "Once we get to the mall and find out what's going on, _then_ we'll tell them."

Fred smiled at her, "What?" She asked. "After all those years of me asking you to marry me, how does it feel to finally accept my proposal?" Fred asked. "I don't feel any different." Daphne said, Fred looked a little disappointed. "Only that I know now how much I really love you." Daphne blushed, looking away from him.

"Stop talking about this now, or they'll hear us. As soon as we get out of this van, don't let your guard down, it could be a trap." Daphne said, Fred nodded. "Do you really think that it could be a trap?" Fred asked. "That guy said there are around one hundred survivors at the mall."

"A hundred survivors or a hundred monsters?" Daphne asked, "Remember that girl that Cliffy liked?" She asked. "The one you killed?" Fred asked. "Because she was a monster." Daphne said. "We know they can change form, so we could be walking into a monstrous dinner party."

Fred sighed, she was probably right, but Fred was going to hold onto the hope that he had that there were hundreds of innocent survivors waiting for them at the mall.

"Where did you get the samurai sword?" Cliffy asked, as he saw Damian holding it tightly. "I found it in a weapon store." Damian said. "Where did you find Scrappy?" Cliffy asked. "Somewhere in Colorado. He picked up Grayson and Todd's scents and followed them. But he couldn't pick up yours." Damian said.

"It was probably the scent of fear that he followed." Damian said, staring at Jason. "Hey!" Jason exclaimed. "What? _Todd_ screamed like a little girl when Scrappy found us." Damian said.

"I think we're here." Red Tool said as the Mystery Machine began to slow down. The gang climbed out of the van, they stared up at the mall, Scrappy watched as the helicopter landed on the roof of the building.

As they approached the doors, they saw two men standing outside holding guns, they were slightly startled when they noticed Scrappy but did not fire at him or the gang.

"David told us you were following him." One of the men said. Two other men, with guns, stepped out of the mall. "It's our watch, buddy, go get some sleep." He said. "Thanks man." The first man said, "Follow me." He said to the gang as he and the other man led them into the building.

"I'm Ryan and this is Michael." The man first man said. "Heya! I'm Harley, this is Toolsie, Brucie, Daisy, Babs, _Dick_ , Jason, Dami, Cliff, Velms, Shagster, Fredster, Daphne, Scooby an' Scrappy." Harley exclaimed, as she introduced the gang. "It's _Damian_." Damian said stubbornly.

"Nice t'meet ya." Ryan said. "How many people are here?" Fred asked. "One hundred and eleven, most of 'em adults, not many kids made it this far." Michael said. "We've been following the monster's movements. One of the guys here used t'be in the army, that's how we got the helicopter and we've been following 'em and watchin' what they do." Michael said.

"We've been followin' them and runnin' away from them since the beginning." Shaggy said. "Mainly the latter." Barbara said, smiling.

"How long have you been hiding out here?" Daisy asked. "Erm…nearly a year." Ryan said. "Come on, let's get you something to eat." He said, leading the gang into a room which had tables and chairs, the gang sat down Michael and Ryan brought some food out for them.

Cliffy 'shared' his broccoli with Scrappy, who gave it to Scooby, but then Daisy made Cliffy eat it.

When they had finished, Michael and Ryan showed them around the building. People were lying on the floor, they looked up at the gang as they walked by and children stood in awe of the gang, who noticed. "New survivors bring these people more hope." Ryan said, "Especially the kids."

Though some people looked a little bit frightened when they saw Scrappy, but he didn't bother them, so they didn't bother him, especially when they saw Cliffy walking happily next to him.

Ryan and Michael led them to a spot near a store cupboard, "There are no beds, sorry but you'll have to sleep on the floor." Michael said. "That's ok, dude. If we can sleep, we'll be fine." Shaggy said.

"Everyone sleeps in this area of the building, so we know where everyone is and there's always someone keeping watch. Speaking of, it's our turn to watch the floor. We'll leave you guys to get some rest." Michael said.

The gang settle down on floor, Scrappy and Scooby decided to take turns watching the gang, it was Scrappy's watch and Scooby curled up asleep on the floor next to Cliffy, who sat with Damian and Harley listening to Daisy tell them story.

Barbara fell asleep on Dick, who fell asleep on Bruce, as well as Jason, Red Tool fell asleep next to them.

Daphne, Fred and Shaggy leant against the wall, Velma fell asleep next to Shaggy. Daphne slid her hand into Fred's. "Y'know I heard you two talkin' in the van. I know you're engaged." Shaggy said, quietly. "Well not me, but Scoob did, an' he told me." Shaggy said.

Daphne and Fred looked at each other, then back at Shaggy, "I told you someone would hear." Daphne said, Fred rolled his eyes.

"I'm glad," Shaggy began. "It's about time."

Fred and Daphne smiled, chuckling slightly. "It's something positive for the future." Shaggy said, "An' you two deserve each other."

Daphne and Fred smiled at each other. "Now, you have to tell Daisy how you feel about _her_." Daphne said. "She already knows, I think. She said she knows and we'll talk." Shaggy said.

Bruce looked at all the survivors, then he looked at Dick, Jason and Barbara sleeping on him. " _Tim would have been proud, and Alfred, Kate and Cass…and Selina._ " Bruce thought to himself, but as he looked at the survivors around him, and how he and the others had made it this far, though he lost Tim, Bruce knew he would have been proud of how far they have come.

Bruce felt like there was hope that the world could be saved after all.

THE END

 _ **Unfortunately**_ _ **, this is the final chapter for this fanfic, I loved writing this story and I hope you enjoyed reading it.**_

 _ **However, I do have some exciting news; I am writing another fanfic, which will be a horror story! It will be called Horror House and it will be uploaded on October 16th, I intend for it to be only ten chapters long and I must say that I am pleased with the way that it is going.**_

 _ **Thank you to everyone who read this and I hope you'll enjoy reading Horror House.**_

 ** _~thequeenxofhearts_**


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